Anita Drinnon Swift

Anita Swift was a woman for whom actions would speak louder than words. The qualities of being fair, just and the ability to recognize what was right were clearly driving forces in Anita’s life. She was also the kind of person who could respect a “do not disturb” sign, whether it was real or implied. She was analytical and observant, with an ability to be simultaneously spontaneous and keenly perceptive. Anita was modest in her actions and extremely literal in her thoughts and in the manner in which she communicated with others. When Anita said something, she meant it. All those who knew her appreciated this trademark quality.

Her parents were Everett Samuel and Mattie Belle (Dupree) Drinnon. Anita was raised in Macon, Georgia. Even as a small child, Anita wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. As Anita grew older, she realized the importance of being treated fairly, and in return, she treated everyone around her the same way. This belief in fair play served Anita well throughout her life and despite her natural shyness; she enjoyed a solid group of friends.

During her childhood, family and friends viewed Anita as a quiet and reserved person with what most would consider a calm and tranquil demeanor. In fact, she was a fairly curious child who had the ability to entertain herself and didn’t require much in the way of outside stimulation. A great deal of Anita’s free time was spent learning how and why the things around her worked. She was an active child who loved being outdoors and absorbing all the sensory input that nature could provide. She took part in soccer. She was a girl scout. In her spare time she liked reading.

The fact that she was curious was an asset to Anita while she was in school. She possessed strong study skills and good concentration. She relished the task of scrutinizing problems, investigating all of the options and then solving them. Anita enjoyed tackling the project that was right in front of her and working it straight through to its conclusion. Sometimes, she would become so involved in the process of problem solving that she would lose awareness of her surroundings. Experience was Anita’s best teacher. She graduated from Miller High School in 1948. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was English. She was a part of the dramatics club, secretary of Sigma Mu Beta Sorority, sponsor of Sedarmoc Fraternity, a Miller Hi-Lights Staff member and Supervision Officer.

The same qualities that served as assets for Anita while she was in high school were tools that built success in her college years. Her ability to work through problems and assignments without wasting time and energy demonstrated to her instructors that she possessed a real “stick to it” attitude that allowed her to succeed despite an underlying desire to defer making difficult decisions. Anita was an analytical and an independent thinker, qualities that allowed her to develop and implement effective strategies and techniques to meet her college workload. She attended Mercer University, but left before graduation. Her favorite course was Languages (French Major). In college she joined the Phi Mu Fraternity.

Those who didn’t know Anita well might have thought her to be objective and somewhat emotionally detached, but family and friends who were close to her knew that she was capable of unexpected flashes of humor. Anita’s good friends tended to be “thinkers” like herself. Even though the circle of friends was somewhat small, it was a strong and loyal group, and Anita liked nothing better than to spend her free time with them. Anita was well known for always being up front and open, never hiding her true feelings, qualities that drew deep loyalty from her friends because they understood and appreciated her for the person she was. Another quality that people admired in Anita was her ability to link cause and effect and apply the appropriate connection in her assessment of any new situation. While growing up, some of her best friends were Charline Redding, Lyn Durham, Jeanne Carlisle and Anne Denney. Later in life, she became friends with Jane B. Morris, Lois Griggs, Joan Ghrist, Peggy Fate, Nighat Khan, and others too numerous to mention.

This same loyalty and up front honesty Anita shared with her friends carried over to other aspects of her life, including her relationships with her family. On January 18, 1958, Anita exchanged wedding vows with Robert Ockington Swift at the City Hall of Hawkinsville, Georgia. The marriage became a solid relationship, due in part to Anita’s skill at bringing fresh energy and clarity to meeting Robert's needs. She was a great listener who enjoyed the couple’s “together” time, especially when it came to celebrating special occasions.

As the family grew, Anita was easily able to adapt to the changes and challenges of parenthood. She is survived by her husband, Robert; and was blessed with two children, son, William O. “Bill” Swift and wife, Kim, and daughter, Deborah Lucile Swift; five grandchildren, Paul Willis, Alison Willis Dunning, Bobby Swift, Billy Swift, and Jolene Swift; and three great-grandchildren, Drinnon Dunning, Henry Dunning, and Wesley Dunning.

Anita was never impulsive in dealing with family problems. Instead, she would carefully think things through before implementing the solution in a logical and objective manner. Anita was a strong, clear communicator who excelled at eliminating confusion by making matters crystal clear to all those involved. At the same time, Anita’s inventive nature could turn some of the boring old household chores into a fun activity for the family.

In her work life, Anita was the kind of person who had no difficulty in taking on a project and seeing it through to its completion. She excelled at dealing with those pesky details that can derail some people, and once she understood exactly why she was working on a project, she could plow full steam ahead. For Anita, being able to grasp the logical components of any task was significant to her in appreciating its importance. Even if she worked alone on an assignment, Anita was able to incorporate and welcome new insights from co-workers, and she would readily use them if they improved the process. Her primary occupation was homemaker. She was employed by Bankers Insurance Co. in Macon, Georgia and Stretch & Sew Fabrics in Stow, Ohio. Anita always made the effort to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Anita’s curious and inquisitive nature influenced her choice of leisure pursuits as well. She applied her strong concentration and analytical skills as to how things worked to her choice of activities. She particularly enjoyed the “alone” time her hobbies provided. Her favorite pursuits were sewing, needle crafts, coin collecting, interior decorating, and traveling. Anita was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Anita had the ability to stay calm and the determination to do what was necessary to get the job finished, traits that helped her enjoy sports. In high school, Anita played soccer. Anita was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Top on her list was ice skating.

Anita was an asset to any organization she joined. In many ways, she was a woman of action who would rather tackle a job than spend time chatting about irrelevant things. She worked well on small committees and excelled at focusing on the important details without getting bogged down by the unnecessary parts of an assignment. In high school, Anita was a member of the Dramatics Club, Sigma Mu Beta sorority. In college, Anita joined the Phi Mu fraternity.

Religion and faith were important to Anita. She held dear the faith and values she derived from her beliefs. She was a devoted Methodist. Anita was a lover of animals and cherished her pet. One of Anita’s favorites was Schatzie, Dachshund. They were best friends for 14 years.

Anita appreciated the occasions when she was able to travel and get away on a vacation. She enjoyed learning about different locales and was open to exploring new and different places. Favorite vacation spots included Kiawah Island when it was still privately owned and there were only eight houses on the island. She thoroughly enjoyed the task of gathering and analyzing travel information as she prepared for an upcoming trip.

Anita was the type of person who would show others her feelings through her actions. She was practical and realistic but was able to be flexible when the need arose. She had a curiosity about the things around her and tried to experience life directly rather than sit back and talk about it. The experiences she treasured most were those she shared with her loved ones.

Anita will be laid to rest in Macon, Georgia. She will be greatly missed.