My Daddy was the third of five children of Walter Lee Swaffar and Willie Ann (Huckaby) Swaffar.
He and my mom, Peggy, married in 1956 and had 3 children, Anita, Vernon, and Angela(me). At the time of his death, they had 4 grandchildren. Since then, 1 more grandchild has been born, 5 more joined the family by my brother's second marriage, and over 20 greatgrandchildren all together.
He was a land surveyor with the cities of Dallas and Irving and independent companies.
He was a Baptist preacher who received his license to preach at the age of 19 and was ordained at age 30. He was what he called a "circuit ridin' preacher". He helped several preachers and pastors with their churchs and also helped start a few over the years. Then in the early part of 1993, he finally fulfilled his dream of becoming pastor of his own church.
He had problems with his eyesight all his life, and in 1987 he was diagnosed with Retinitis pigmentosa. He was declared "legally blind" and was placed on disability. Even though his eyesight was diminishing, he was a wonderful artist and loved to draw characters he saw in magazines and newspapers. He could also play just about any instrument he tried, especially the piano. He had a beautiful singing voice and loved to sing in front of congregations.
Weekends at our house included Bible study, preparing sermons, and catching up on whatever football or baseball game might be playing at the time. Especially the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers. He was the biggest Cowboys fan I know, which is a trait that I have inherited from him. I am so happy that he got to see them win Super Bowl XXVIII in January of 1993, and I know he would have been thrilled to have seen them do it again the next year.
He was hospitalized July 4th weekend in 1993 with congestive heart failure, even though he had been told during previous visits to doctors that he had the heart of a teenager. He was then told he only had about 6 months to live, because his heart was too weak to operate on. He returned home in August, but was not the same as he tried to find a way to make peace with what was happening. In the early morning of December 18, 1993, he passed away. I know he is in heaven watching over his family and waiting for us to join him.
He was preceded in death by his mother Willie Ann Swaffar, and his older brother John Robert Swaffar.
Even though I did not get as much time with my Dad as my sister and brother did (they are 20 and 19 years older than me), I am grateful for the time I did have. I love him and miss him a lot.
He and my mom, Peggy, married in 1956 and had 3 children, Anita, Vernon, and Angela(me). At the time of his death, they had 4 grandchildren. Since then, 1 more grandchild has been born, 5 more joined the family by my brother's second marriage, and over 20 greatgrandchildren all together.
He was a land surveyor with the cities of Dallas and Irving and independent companies.
He was a Baptist preacher who received his license to preach at the age of 19 and was ordained at age 30. He was what he called a "circuit ridin' preacher". He helped several preachers and pastors with their churchs and also helped start a few over the years. Then in the early part of 1993, he finally fulfilled his dream of becoming pastor of his own church.
He had problems with his eyesight all his life, and in 1987 he was diagnosed with Retinitis pigmentosa. He was declared "legally blind" and was placed on disability. Even though his eyesight was diminishing, he was a wonderful artist and loved to draw characters he saw in magazines and newspapers. He could also play just about any instrument he tried, especially the piano. He had a beautiful singing voice and loved to sing in front of congregations.
Weekends at our house included Bible study, preparing sermons, and catching up on whatever football or baseball game might be playing at the time. Especially the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers. He was the biggest Cowboys fan I know, which is a trait that I have inherited from him. I am so happy that he got to see them win Super Bowl XXVIII in January of 1993, and I know he would have been thrilled to have seen them do it again the next year.
He was hospitalized July 4th weekend in 1993 with congestive heart failure, even though he had been told during previous visits to doctors that he had the heart of a teenager. He was then told he only had about 6 months to live, because his heart was too weak to operate on. He returned home in August, but was not the same as he tried to find a way to make peace with what was happening. In the early morning of December 18, 1993, he passed away. I know he is in heaven watching over his family and waiting for us to join him.
He was preceded in death by his mother Willie Ann Swaffar, and his older brother John Robert Swaffar.
Even though I did not get as much time with my Dad as my sister and brother did (they are 20 and 19 years older than me), I am grateful for the time I did have. I love him and miss him a lot.
My Daddy was the third of five children of Walter Lee Swaffar and Willie Ann (Huckaby) Swaffar.
He and my mom, Peggy, married in 1956 and had 3 children, Anita, Vernon, and Angela(me). At the time of his death, they had 4 grandchildren. Since then, 1 more grandchild has been born, 5 more joined the family by my brother's second marriage, and over 20 greatgrandchildren all together.
He was a land surveyor with the cities of Dallas and Irving and independent companies.
He was a Baptist preacher who received his license to preach at the age of 19 and was ordained at age 30. He was what he called a "circuit ridin' preacher". He helped several preachers and pastors with their churchs and also helped start a few over the years. Then in the early part of 1993, he finally fulfilled his dream of becoming pastor of his own church.
He had problems with his eyesight all his life, and in 1987 he was diagnosed with Retinitis pigmentosa. He was declared "legally blind" and was placed on disability. Even though his eyesight was diminishing, he was a wonderful artist and loved to draw characters he saw in magazines and newspapers. He could also play just about any instrument he tried, especially the piano. He had a beautiful singing voice and loved to sing in front of congregations.
Weekends at our house included Bible study, preparing sermons, and catching up on whatever football or baseball game might be playing at the time. Especially the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers. He was the biggest Cowboys fan I know, which is a trait that I have inherited from him. I am so happy that he got to see them win Super Bowl XXVIII in January of 1993, and I know he would have been thrilled to have seen them do it again the next year.
He was hospitalized July 4th weekend in 1993 with congestive heart failure, even though he had been told during previous visits to doctors that he had the heart of a teenager. He was then told he only had about 6 months to live, because his heart was too weak to operate on. He returned home in August, but was not the same as he tried to find a way to make peace with what was happening. In the early morning of December 18, 1993, he passed away. I know he is in heaven watching over his family and waiting for us to join him.
He was preceded in death by his mother Willie Ann Swaffar, and his older brother John Robert Swaffar.
Even though I did not get as much time with my Dad as my sister and brother did (they are 20 and 19 years older than me), I am grateful for the time I did have. I love him and miss him a lot.
He and my mom, Peggy, married in 1956 and had 3 children, Anita, Vernon, and Angela(me). At the time of his death, they had 4 grandchildren. Since then, 1 more grandchild has been born, 5 more joined the family by my brother's second marriage, and over 20 greatgrandchildren all together.
He was a land surveyor with the cities of Dallas and Irving and independent companies.
He was a Baptist preacher who received his license to preach at the age of 19 and was ordained at age 30. He was what he called a "circuit ridin' preacher". He helped several preachers and pastors with their churchs and also helped start a few over the years. Then in the early part of 1993, he finally fulfilled his dream of becoming pastor of his own church.
He had problems with his eyesight all his life, and in 1987 he was diagnosed with Retinitis pigmentosa. He was declared "legally blind" and was placed on disability. Even though his eyesight was diminishing, he was a wonderful artist and loved to draw characters he saw in magazines and newspapers. He could also play just about any instrument he tried, especially the piano. He had a beautiful singing voice and loved to sing in front of congregations.
Weekends at our house included Bible study, preparing sermons, and catching up on whatever football or baseball game might be playing at the time. Especially the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers. He was the biggest Cowboys fan I know, which is a trait that I have inherited from him. I am so happy that he got to see them win Super Bowl XXVIII in January of 1993, and I know he would have been thrilled to have seen them do it again the next year.
He was hospitalized July 4th weekend in 1993 with congestive heart failure, even though he had been told during previous visits to doctors that he had the heart of a teenager. He was then told he only had about 6 months to live, because his heart was too weak to operate on. He returned home in August, but was not the same as he tried to find a way to make peace with what was happening. In the early morning of December 18, 1993, he passed away. I know he is in heaven watching over his family and waiting for us to join him.
He was preceded in death by his mother Willie Ann Swaffar, and his older brother John Robert Swaffar.
Even though I did not get as much time with my Dad as my sister and brother did (they are 20 and 19 years older than me), I am grateful for the time I did have. I love him and miss him a lot.
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