Robert Earl Swann

Funeral services will be held Monday, July 18th, at 1 p.m. at Glenola Baptist Church, 8330 US-311, Archdale, NC, 27263, with Reverend Tim Steen and Reverend Wayne Trexler officiating. The family will receive friends from 12:00 p.m. until 12:50 p.m. at the church before the service and briefly after the service. Burial will follow the funeral service at Lakeview Memorial Park, Greensboro, NC, but because of the distance, the family understands if you cannot attend the internment.

Robert Earl Swann, “Bob,” was born March 11, 1936, in a log cabin in Jefferson County, Tennessee, to the late Fird Cowan Swann and Josie Fain Swann, and resided most of his life in Greensboro, NC, semi-retiring to Oak Island, NC, in 1993, and returning to the Triad area in late 2013. Bob, as he was known by family and friends, served as the Chairman of Deacons at Rankin Baptist Church, Southport Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Oak Island. Because of his “walked-the-talk” faith and hands-on skills, he was always asked to serve the churches he attended, and he was honored to serve. Bob Swann’s profession of faith in Jesus Christ matched his life of faith all the way up until his death. Bob was the type of man who would give you the shirt off of his back and lived a life of service to others.

Throughout his life, he gave 100% to whatever job he had from insurance salesman to Burger King manager and from grocery store owner of Swann’s Grocery to handyman of his company, “Odd Jobs.” He served with the Baptist Men’s Association to rebuild hurricane ravaged homes, prepared many a Baptist Men’s breakfast, and was known for the best Brunswick stew anyone ever ate. He cooked his secret recipe Brunswick stew for Youth for Christ fundraisers and many different churches and always sold out. No one made better stew than Bob Swann. As an act of faith, he handed out “Money from Heaven,” an evangelistic money-looking bill on the saving grace of Jesus Christ, to everyone he met. He truly was an honest man beloved by many. He was devoted to his family and was a wonderful Christian witness to his daughters, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Bob was a loving husband to Faye, his wife of 60 years, and cared for her in her final years while she suffered severely with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Sadly, he also suffered the last 3 years of his life with the terrible diseases of Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia.

We do not understand why the Lord allows someone so faithful to suffer from this cruel disease or any other, but the one thing this disease has proven to us all is that the scriptures of Hebrews 13:5 and Deuteronomy 31:8 where it is said that God and Jesus will never leave or forsake you are absolutely and undeniably true. Most days as this disease ravaged his mind and body, he did not know who he was, where he was, or even who his daughters were, but he never forgot who the Lord was and prayed often and spoke to the Lord daily even up until his death. This disease was never able to separate him from the love of God. God was there for him in the darkest days of this disease.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Billie Faye Swann; his parents, Fird and Josie Swann; two sisters, Helen Swann Herron and Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Brooks, and four brothers; Paul Swann, Ken Swann, Ben Swann and Ralph Swann.

Those left to cherish his memory include his three daughters, Sandy Cantliffe (Bob), Pam Ballard, and Teresa Hodges (Ben); sister-in-law, Peggy Campbell; five grandsons, Chad Ballard (Dawn), Benjamin (Kayla) and Brandon Hodges (Michelle), and Richard and Scott Cantliffe; one granddaughter, Stephanie Cantliffe; and 7 great-grandchildren, Scotty Cantliffe; Haleigh, Chase, Lexi, and Chance Ballard, Liem Hodges and Lennon Hodges.

Memorial contributions may be made to Glenola Baptist Church, 8330 US Hwy. 311, Archdale, NC 27263, or Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Dr, High Point, NC 27262. The family would like to thank Hospice of Randolph & Piedmont (Maddie, Renee, Kim) for their care these last 9 months.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com for the Swann family.