Thomas William Swinbank

Thomas William Swinbank suddenly passed away on April 26, 2023, in his sleep at his home in Seattle, Washington, with his beloved wife of 50 years, Cynthia, by his side. He was 74. We have lost an incredible father, grandfather, husband, son, brother and amigo to anyone he ever met.

Tom was born August 2, 1948, in Jackson, Minnesota, but he and his parents, Bill and Elsa Swinbank, moved to Falfurrias, Texas, in January of 1949. In his words, “he got here as soon as he could!” It was in Falfurrias that Tom became the oldest of five siblings, all of whom survive him today along with his mother. The family moved to Houston, Texas, in 1958, and put down stakes on Memorial Drive in what was then the western edge of the city. Tom attended Memorial High School where he played clarinet and was a member of the first graduating class in 1966. After a brief stint at Texas Christian University, Tom ended up at the University of Texas at Austin where he graduated with a B.S. in Geology in 1971.

It was at Texas that Dad met our mother and his soulmate, Cynthia Elliott of San Antonio, Texas. They graduated together in a class that included only 10 geologists and were married in the chapel at Trinity University in San Antonio on May 22, 1971. Together they had five children who became his proudest and most loved achievements. In 1981, Tom and Cindy hitched up the wagon and headed west to Georgetown, Texas to a home on a bluff overlooking the San Gabriel River where our family continues to gather to this day.

Tom enjoyed a successful career as a petroleum geologist and found many oil and gas wells throughout South Texas over the span of 50 years. An eternal optimist, a requisite personality trait for a wildcatter, Tom brought enthusiasm to every project he participated in. Along the way he collected many friends and he built a reputation in his industry for being a straight shooter. He was one of a kind and his stories of far away and long forgotten oil wells never ceased to be entertaining.

Tom was an avid outdoorsman and happy traveler to places both near and far, but he loved to be home as well with his family, and after his children flew the coop, with our mother. They enjoyed traveling to Big Bend, Seattle, and really anywhere in the western US and did so quite often in between trips around the world. They gardened, raised chickens and he acted like he didn’t like all the dogs over the years, but we knew he really did. He was a voracious reader, loved old bars and the Texas Longhorns, mowed his own yard and had a million good song tips. 

Tom had a keen sense of humor and a quick wit which our mother matched step for step. In his grandchildren he finally had the ideal audience for his silly side. Nobody understood Grandpa like a six-year-old! 

Tom is survived by his wife, Cynthia and his five children: Chris Swinbank (wife Jennay), Sam Swinbank (wife Jennifer), Hannah Strong (husband Frank), Claire Swinbank (wife Elizabeth) and Joe Swinbank (wife Andrea). He is also survived by his grandchildren: William, Warren, Wilson, Emma, Ava, Lauren, Katie, Allie, Kaio, Mila and Luka.

Tom is also survived by his mother, Doris Elsa Swinbank and his siblings Laura Connally, Joe Swinbank, Tami Swinbank and Jill Norris.

A private celebration of Tom’s life will be held on May 13. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Happy to you!