Kitty Swanger

Waynesville, Kitty Ford Swanger, 97, passed away on Friday, August 14, 2015 at her residence Kitty was born on September 29, 1917 to Arthur and Fern Kesler Ford in Wellington, Texas. Moving to Lubbock, Texas and two brothers, she lived in the Grovesville community, about three miles east of Shallowater. In 1928 she once again moved, now with four siblings, to a farm southeast of Hale Center, Texas. She was baptized in 1931 at First United Methodist Church of Hale Center and served the church in many was over her years as a member. Kitty graduated from Hale Center Schools in 1935 and then attended Commercial College while working as a bookkeeper for the McIlhaney Dairy until 1939. She was hired by the newly formed Social Security Board and moved to Baltimore, Maryland where she worked until 1943 before returning to Lubbock to work at the local Lubbock and Amarillo Social Security Board. Kitty met and married, Charles Edward Swanger in Lubbock, Texas on May 25, 1946. After their retirement, Charles and Kitty moved from Amarillo to Waynesville in 1970. She was a charter member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) of Waynesville and also a charter member of the NARFE (National Active and Retired Federal Employees). In addition to her parents, Kitty is preceded in death by her husband, Charles E. Swanger, who died in 1975; two brothers, Charles H. and Buster Buford Ford; and a sister, Gladys F. Hodges. She is survived by a brother, Orville Ford, of Hale Center, Texas as well as many nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2015 at First United Methodist Church of Waynesville with Reverend Sanford L. Giles, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Garrett-Hillcrest Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until service time at the church. Flowers are appreciated and memorials may be made to one's favorite charity.

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