Birth Born on July 30, 1926 in Sanford, Seminole Co., FL Death Died on March 08, 2009 in Memphis, Shelby Co., TN Buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Memphis, Shelby Co., TN Marriages SWEARINGEN, David Heidt Stokes Married on February 17, 1945 in Vienna, Dooly Co., GA Children SWEARINGEN, Anne L.: December 15, 1952 SWEARINGEN, Lynn: September 26, 1954 SWEARINGEN, Jane M.: September 14, 1956 Notes Obituary: MARY BARROW SWEARINGEN was born in Sanford, Fla. She grew up in West Palm Beach, Fla., the oldest of seven children of Edwin George and Rebecca Marie Barrow. Mary graduated from Palm Beach High School. She met her husband, David H. Swearingen, on a blind date in 1944. He was a corpsman in the Navy and was stationed in the area. The two fell in love and married on Feb. 17, 1945, in Vienna, Ga.; he was 18 and she was 19. After her new husband was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy, the couple moved to Chapel Hill, N.C., where Dave entered the University of North Carolina. They rented a tiny trailer and bought a Model A Ford without headlights. Those years made for some great stories. After Dave's graduation from UNC, they moved to Memphis where their daughters were born. Mary dedicated her life to her husband and her children. She adored her grandchildren, whom she spoiled at every opportunity. Our memories of Mary will revolve around her wonderful sense of humor. She could make almost any experience funny. She had a talent for mimicry and her laugh was contagious. She was very close to her sisters and she set an excellent example for her daughters. As a wife, she was loyal, supportive, loving and tolerant. As a mother, she was protective, adoring and proud. She leaves her daughters, Anne Swearingen of Memphis, Dr. Lynn Swearingen of Chattanooga, and Jane Swearingen (Robert D. Tomer) of Los Angeles. She also leaves four grandchildren, Christopher Duty and Matthew Duty of Memphis, and Mary Allison Wright and David Wright of Chattanooga, as well as two sisters, Edith Nicholson (Doyle) of Jacksonville, Fla., and Marjorie Potter Kolb of West Palm Beach, and a brother, Joseph Barrow (Irene), also of West Palm Beach, and numerous nieces and nephews. She also leaves a cat, Thumper, who was chosen from the House of Mews cat sanctuary by Dave. The family will receive visitors from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, at Memorial Park Funeral Home on Poplar in Memphis. Funeral services will be private. She will be buried in Memorial Park where she will be together with her husband of 60 years, who died in 2006. The family requests that any memorials be sent to the House of Mews in Memphis. Memorial Park Funeral Home 901-767-8930 The Commercial Appeal March 10,2009 Images David & Mary (Barrow) Swearingen