Obituary of McAllen Swafford

McAllen �Mac� Swafford, age 94, departed this life Monday, October 13, 2008 in Springfield, Missouri. Mac was born February 27, 1914, in Graysville, Tennessee to William and Julia (Walker) Swafford. He was raised in Anthony, Kansas and graduated high school there. He was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Ruth Yeager Pennell Swafford; brothers Herman, J.T. and John Swafford; a sister Dorothy; daughter Mickey and son Jimmy. He is survived by a sister Edna Bruce of Anthony, Kansas; daughter-in-law Darlene Swafford of Wichita, Kansas; step-son Marvin and wife Janet Pennell of Springfield, Missouri; grandchildren Mickey and Harold Beavers of Viola, Kansas, Cathy and Roy Curley of Clearwater, Kansas, Michael and Erica Swafford of Clearwater, Kansas, Michael and Karen Pennell of Parkville, Missouri, Brent and Shannon Pennell of Springfield, Missouri, Sean and Sarah Pennell of Coeur D�Alene, Idaho and eleven great-grandchildren. As a young man he moved to Washington state for employment and after Pearl Harbor joined the United States Marine Corp. He served in the pacific theatre including Seapan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and the occupation of Nagasaki, Japan. He returned to Wichita, Kansas following discharge in January, 1946; a marine until his death. He worked at Boeing where he met Ruth. They were married in March, 1950, and moved to the Roach/Macks Creek, Missouri area and operated Thompson Station before retiring in 1978. He also held a second job as a bus driver for Camdenton Schools for fifteen years. In 1999 they moved to Springfield, Missouri. Mac was a charter member of Our Savior�s Lutheran Church; a past member of the Macks Creek Volunteer Fire Department for fifteen years; a past charter member of the Macks Creek Lions Club, and the Macks Creek Order of the Easter Star where he served as Past Worthy Patron. He was also a past member of the Camden County Development Commissions for fifteen years, a life time member of VFW Post #3923, American Legion Post #193, and a fifty plus year member of Wichita Masonic Lodge #99, the Scottish Rite, Abou Ben Adhem Shrine, and the Legion of Honor. He was an avid sports fan, hunter, and fisherman throughout his life. He was particularly interested in Camdenton Lakers and Oklahoma football.