Chester Swart

Chester A. Swart, 96, of New Braunfels, Texas, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2026, in Kyle, Texas, leaving behind a lifetime of stories, adventures, laughter, and, most of all, people who loved him deeply.

Chester was born on December 24, 1929, in Newport, Rhode Island, to Chester L. Swart and Anne Foster. At 18, he proudly answered the call to serve his country, entering the United States Navy in June 1948. During his service in the Korean War era, he attained the rank of Third Class and served aboard the USS Saint Paul, USS Everett, and USS Shields. Much of his time was spent in ports throughout China, giving him the opportunity to see places and experience things he would talk about fondly for the rest of his life. He received an honorable discharge in June 1952.

On June 19, 1954, Chester married Frances White, beginning a remarkable 72-year marriage and a life centered around family. Together, they built a large and loving family that became Chester’s greatest source of joy.

Chester went on to pursue his education at UCLA and Compton Junior College while building a fulfilling career as a CPA and instructor. Never one to believe he was finished learning, he returned to school later in life and earned his law degree from Pacific Coast University in May 1980. He was self-employed for much of his career and often said he never worked a day in his life because he genuinely loved what he did—especially helping others.

To his family, Chester was much more than a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was a teacher, storyteller, challenger, cheerleader, and sometimes—whether you asked for it or not—a friendly debater. He loved making people think and would often take the opposite side of an argument just to make sure you could defend your own. He taught those around him to be curious, consider another perspective, and never be afraid to speak their minds.

Chester had an unmistakable personality and a wonderful sense of humor. He was generous, welcoming, adventurous, talkative, amazing, and, perhaps most accurately, wonderfully non-mechanical. His favorite sayings became part of the family vocabulary: “Arigatou gozaimasu” (thank you), “Itadakimasu,” “Que Sera, Sera,” “It’s going to be a GRRRREAT day,” and, perhaps most fittingly, “I wasn’t lost; you just didn’t know where I was.”

He loved to travel, cruise, read the Wall Street Journal, meet new people, and experience new places. He never seemed content simply hearing about the world when he could go out and see it himself. His adventures gave him countless stories—and he was always happy to share them, usually with a few extra details along the way.