Gearldine "Jewel" Swafford Obit

Tahlequah-Funeral services for Gearldine "Jewel" Swafford, age 57, of Peggs, will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, 2002 at Peggs Community Church with Pastor Don Reed officiating. Burial will follow in the New Home Cemetery, under the direction of Hart Funeral Home.
Serving as pallbearers will be Frank Yandell, Lee Shafer, Jason Kerfoot, Billy Swafford, Keith Moore and Richard Swafford. Honorary pallbearers will be Justin, Jason and Phillip Swafford and Jody Mandella.
Jewell Swafford, daughter of Elbert Harrison Spears and Ruth (Murray) Spears-Keahey, was born April 8, 1944 in Muskogee, and departed this life on Friday, March 22, 2002 at her residence in Peggs, after reaching the age of 57 years, 11 months and 14 days.
A resident of the area for 26 years, Jewell moved here from Colton, Calif. in 1976. A homemaker and amateur horticulturist, she loved quilting, sewing, and growing beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. Jewell also enjoyed any outdoor activity, especially bird watching and fishing. Most of all , she adored time spent with her family and friends. Jewell was of the Christian faith, loved everyone she met, and will be missed by all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her father and two sisters, Ruby Lois Spears and Velma Jean Patterson.

On Feb. 4, 1963, Jewell married James W. Swafford Sr. in Sayre, Oklahoma. He survives her, along with her mother, Ruth Keahey, of Sayre; two daughters, Donna Mandella and her husband Jody of San Antonio, Texas and Christine Ragsdale and husband Charlie, of Fort Gibson; two sons, James Swafford Jr. of Bartlesville and Wesley Swafford and wife, Traci, of Salina; two sisters, Stella Jenkins and husband, Bob, of Tulsa and Rowena Kerfoot and husband Royce of Wichita, Kan.; four brothers, Elbert Spears and wife Debra, of Colorado Springs, colo., Carl Keahey and wlife, Janice, of Erick, Okla., Edward Keahey of Sayre and Donald Keahey of Dodge City , Kan.; eight grandchildren, Alyssa and Kindra Swafford, both of Salina, Mathew Swafford of Muskogee, Cody and Dakotah Swafford of Wagoner and Dustin, Amanda, and Emily Moore, all of Fort Gibson; as well as many friends and loved ones.