Priscilla Sullivan Swift, 78
Priscilla Sullivan Swift, 78, of Acton peacefully passed away on July 13, 2026, with family at her side.
The much-loved adopted daughter of Robert and Bernice Sullivan, she was raised in Maplewood, New Jersey, along with her brother, Bobby, and her sister, Pam. An enchanted childhood filled with music, cultural trips into New York City, and summers on Cape Cod provided the foundation for her lifelong love of musical performance. Her semiprofessional singing group PB&J (Priscilla, Bobby, and John) was widely known for its folksy sound, with Priscilla as lead vocalist.
Priscilla was a graduate of Queens College, after which she worked for Arthur D. Little in Cambridge. Following the birth of her twin boys, she devoted herself to her family and volunteer work, including Seeds and Weeds. Priscilla’s happiest times were summers on Chapoquoit, where she helped run the youth sailing program, served as commodore of the Yacht Club, and nurtured her twin sons’ early love of sailing.
Remarkably, in 2018, she located her birth family, an experience that meant the world to her. She felt deeply enriched by welcoming these new family members into her life, and the Byrnes accepted her with open arms. They even took her on a trip to Ireland, where she met the rest of her Byrne family and cousins.
Priscilla is survived by her sons Robert W. Swift IV (Emily) and J. Deacon Swift (Emily); her grandchildren Rowan, Theodore, and Ella-Mae; her niece Molly Paiement (Chris) and nephew Will Livingston (Melissa); and her newfound family in New York and New Jersey.
She was predeceased by her husband Robert W. Swift III, her parents Robert and Bernice Sullivan, her sister Pam Livingston, and her brother Bobby Sullivan.
Family and friends are invited to her memorial service on Wednesday, August 5, at 2 p.m. at Trinitarian Congregational Church, 54 Walden Street. A reception will follow.
In place of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Chapoquoit Community Sailing (chapoquoityachtclub.com/give-to-cyc).
Arrangements have been entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Acton. To share a memory or a condolence on Priscilla’s tribute page, visit DeeFuneralHome.com.
