Thelma Bacon Swafford

Thelma Bacon Swafford, 99, died peacefully in her home on April 7, 2018 where she lived independently. She was born on January 19, 1919 in the Spring Creek Community of McMinn County, Tennessee where she lived until moving to Cleveland in 1986. Thelma was in the FIRST graduating class of Calhoun High School, where she played basketball, beating Bradley her senior year.

Throughout her life, Thelma enjoyed many hobbies. She was a hairdresser, seamstress (by trade with American Uniform and Fay Swafford Originals), longtime crafter (with the Cleveland Creative Arts Guild), painter, and avid gardener. She also worked at the Woolen Mill during WWII as an original riveter constructing airplanes for the war effort. Thelma was a member of Calhoun First Baptist and attended First Baptist Cleveland for many years.

Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, IE and Mamie Bacon; husband, Paul Ransom Swafford; brothers, JC and OE Bacon; and sisters, Ruby Fuller and Elizabeth Moore.
She is survived by:
-her daughter and son-in-law (her loving caregivers), Faye and Carey Burger (Cleveland); her granddaughters and families: Stephanie and Craig Rountree, great-grandsons Grayson, Cooper, and Tate (Cleveland); and Nikki and Mark Freeman, great-grandchildren Fletcher, Lillyann, Charleigh, and Whitley (Knoxville).
-her son, Curtis Swafford; her grandchildren and families: Mark and Tara Morga; Christine and Mark Garza, great-granddaughters Stephanie and AnnaMarie (Texas).
-her many friends and extended family members, including her furbaby, WillyB.

Her family will receive friends at Companion Funeral Home, Thursday, April 12th, 5-7pm with a service immediately following, at 7pm.
A graveside service will be held on Friday, April 13th, at 11am in the Sunset Memorial Gardens.
You are invited to share a personal memory or your condolences with her family at her online memorial located at www.companionfunerals.com. Companion Funeral and Cremation Service and the Cody family are honored to assist the Swafford family with these arrangements.