Vickie Lynn Swayze was the elder sister of the late Patrick Swayze, the legendary Hollywood actor and dancer. She lived from 8 June 1949 to 2 December 1994 and she was an American dancer and performance artiste.
Vickie and her famous elder brother were brought up alongside other siblings by their dancer/choreographer mom named Patsy and dad Jesse in Houston. Their mom was a big influence on their lives so they all got into dancing and other art forms such as acting. They all achieved success in varying degrees but also had to cope with some demons. For Lynn, it was depression and she took her life in 1994. Her death devastated her family, including Patrick Swayze.
Summary of Vickie Lynn Swayze’s Biography
- Full name: Vickie Lynn Swayze
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: 8 June 1949
- Date died: 2 December 1994 aged 45 years old
- Ethnicity: Caucasian
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Sexual Orientation: straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: divorced
- Vickie Lynn Swayze’s Parents: Jesse Swayze and Patsy
- Siblings: Patrick, Don, Sean, and Bambi
- Vickie Lynn Swayze’s Height in Inches: 5 feet 7 inches
- Vickie Lynn Swayze’s Height in Centimeters: 165
- Vickie Lynn Swayze’s Weight: 60 kg
- Vickie Lynn Swayze’s Net worth: $100K
- Famous for: Patrick Swayze’s sister
Vickie Lynn Swayze Was the Eldest Child of Patsy Swayze, the Famed Dancer/Choreographer
Vickie Lynn Swayze was born Victoria Lynn Swayze on the 8th day of June 1949 in the city of Houston, Texas. Her nationality was American while her ethnicity was Caucasian. Vickie Lynn was the eldest child of Patsy Swayze and Jesse Wayne Swayze. Her father was an engineering draughtsman who has been described as a gentle soul and an incredibly intelligent man. He died in 1982 when Vickie was 33 years old.
Lynn’s mother, on the other hand, was an accomplished dancer and choreographer named Patsy. Patsy ran her own dance studio for several years. She also taught choreography at the University of Houston. She also choreographed movies such as Urban Cowboy, Hope Floats, Liar’s Moon, and One Last Dance. She passed away in September 2013 aged 86
She had Four Younger Siblings, Including Patrick Swayze
Vickie Lynn Swayze was the oldest of her parent’s children and had four younger siblings. Her immediate younger sibling is Patrick Swayze who was born in 1952. Patrick was an accomplished dancer, actor, and singer. He featured in several major Hollywood blockbusters, including evergreen titles like Ghost and Dirty Dancing. He died in 2009 aged 57 years.
Vickie Lynn also has another younger brother named Don who was born in 1958 which means that she was nine years older than him. He is also an actor and has featured in a variety of movies and TV series such as Criminal Minds, True Blood, Edge of Honor, NCIS, etc.
Lynn’s youngest siblings are Sean (b. 1962) and Bambi (b. 1966). Sean is a driver while Bambi is a dancer with some TV appearances to her credit.
Vickie Lynn Swayze was a Dancer and Art Performer
Vickie Lynn Swayze spent much of her formative years in Houston and completed a reasonable level of education. Beyond schooling, her life was hugely influenced by the fact that her mom was a choreographer. She spent copious amounts of time in the dance studio run by her mom and picked up a lot of skills with which she built a career.
For several years, Vickie was a professional dancer who exhibited her talent in various mediums, including theatrical performances. She eventually built up a reputation as a dancer and an accomplished performance artist in theater notably in places such as Houston and Los Angeles.
She was Married and Divorced Twice with Multiple Kids
Vickie Lynn Swayze owed much of her fame to her mother as well as her Hollywood star of a younger brother. Therefore, a lot of light has not been shed on certain aspects of her life that do not directly relate to that relationship. One of these is her marital life. Her late brother has revealed that Vickie Lynn Swayze was married and divorced twice in her lifetime and had multiple children.
It is, however, difficult to figure out the name and identities of her ex-husband or of her kids. Some online sources have referred to Vickie Lynn as Victoria Lynn Toritsuka-Peden. It is, therefore, quite possible that Peden and Toritsuka refer to the surnames of her ex-husbands.
Vickie Lynn Struggled with Mental Health Issues Before Her Death
For many casual observers, Vickie Lynn Swayze had a normal thriving life. However, she suffered from some personal demons among which was mental issues such as depression for much of her life.
She would often take off for long stretches of time while her loved ones would be looking for her and when she reappears, it would be difficult to fathom how to relate with her.
Vickie Lynn was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder and underwent some treatment but she couldn’t conquer her issues and eventually committed suicide on the 2nd of December 1994.
Vickie Lynn Swayze’s Cause of Death
Vickie Lynn Swayze’s cause of death was drug overdose. The accomplished dancer overdosed on painkillers on the 2nd day of December. It wasn’t an accidental overdose but one she did deliberately as she could no longer cope with her mental health struggles.
Vickie Lynn Swayze was aged 45 years old when she took her own life and her obituary appeared in the Los Angeles Times. Funeral services were held for her in Simi Valley, Los Angeles, on the 7th of December 1994 and she was subsequently buried at the Assumpta Catholic Cemetery in Simi Valley, Ventura County, California. She was buried near her dad and her epitaph reads OUR ANGEL “SHE DANCES ON THE WIND”
Vickie Lynn Swayze’s Death Saddened Her Family
Losing one’s loved one is a very traumatic experience but it is even more painful when the person takes their own life. This was the reality following Vickie Lynn’s case. Her death devastated her loved ones, including her mother.
Her mom revealed that Vickie had called her on the phone and left her a message, begging her not to cry, before taking her life. Patsy surmised that her daughter must have really been tired of being sick.
Vickie’s death also heavily impacted Patrick Swayze as they were quite close. Revelations from their mom show that it was Vickie that gave Patrick, Buddy, the nickname that would stick with him all through his life. Both siblings remained quite close as they grew older and Vickie’s death was quite tough on Patrick
The actor felt guilty that he couldn’t figure out that something was wrong with his sister. He also began thinking that he was cursed as he previously had to deal with the deaths of his father and beloved manager. Vickie’s death was a huge wake-up call to Patrick who was struggling with alcoholism at the time. He resolved to get help so that her death wouldn’t be pointless.
