Gloria J. Swafford

Gloria Jean Swafford , age 71of Athens, TN died Thursday in Nashville, TN. She graduated from J.L. Cook High School as salutatorian of her class in 1966. Graduated from Knoxville College in 1971 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education. She was placed on the Dean's List and was active in the marching and concert bands. She received a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Tusculum College in 1992 where was nominated for inclusion in the American Colleges and Universities Who's Who program. She taught school for 28 years for the following: E.K. Baker, Westside, Ingleside, & North City in Athens, TN., Thomas Elementary School in Warner Robins, Georgia, she taught  4 & 5 year olds in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and taught for 10 years at Damon Elementary School at Loring Air Force Base in Maine. Gloria retired from teaching in 1999. She was also active at Dakota Place support center, and did volunteer work for E.G. Fisher Library in Athens. Gloria loved watching football, working in the yard, jigsaw puzzles, and coloring butterflies. She is preceded in death by her parents, Verna Mae Swafford and Paul Andrew Swafford

Survivors include her son Samuel R. Neil Jr of Nashville, one sister Alma Porter, and one brother Paul ( Mary) Swafford Jr., nieces, Kimberly Swafford, and Sharon Swafford Wood, nephews, Tommy Swafford, Eddie Swafford and Bobby Porter, and many extended family and friends.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, January 22, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of M.D. Dotson & Sons Funeral Home- Athens, TN, with Rev. Vant Hardaway delivering the eulogy. The family will receive friends one hour before the service at the funeral home from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Hammonds Cemetery in Athens, TN.