March 17, 1949 �" April 28, 2015
After a brave and inspiring battle against brain cancer, Barry Patrick Swyers left this world to join the gods and goddesses of another. Barry's creative mind was influenced by the sailors entering the Port of New Orleans as a child, and the iconic surf life burgeoning in San Diego where he lived as a teenager.
After moving to San Francisco, Barry met his lifelong partner, Jerry Walker, in 1971. Barry and Jerry loved and took care of each other for 40 years. Their home on Castro Street entertained and supported countless gay artists over the decades.
Barry left San Francisco briefly to attend Parsons School of Design in New York City, graduating in 1984. His creative vision enlivened the world of his friends and enriched his community. Barry was most recently acclaimed for his intricate and thought-provoking works of paper, presented at a solo show through ACT in San Francisco in 2004.
Barry's spirit will be missed but never far from the Castro and the city that he loved. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barry's memory may be made to the Parsons Scholars Program or the San Francisco LGBT Community Center. For more information, please contact mailto:[email protected].