Peggy Lee (Harris) Swofford

Click here to watch Live-Stream

Peggy Lee Harris Swofford, 92, of Oakwoods Rd., Wilkesboro, died Friday, March 13, 2026, at her home. 

Mrs. Swofford was born April 4, 1933, in North Wilkesboro, the daughter of the late Lee Edward Harris and Louise Gaither Harris. She graduated from North Wilkesboro High School and the Women’s College of the University of North Carolina (UNC-G) with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. 

After graduation, Peggy married Carl Franklin Swofford. For the first two years of their marriage, they lived in Massachusetts while Carl served in the Army (ASA) at Fort Devens. They returned to Wilkes County in 1957 and remained in North Carolina. 

Peggy was an active member of the First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro. She was a member of the Fellowship Class, a Stephen Minister, a choir member, a Sunday School teacher, and played handbells. She served on numerous church committees and volunteered regularly in the church office. In 2009, Peggy started the “LoveKnits” Shawl Ministry, providing shawls to the sick, bereaved and new mothers. 

Peggy served in various capacities for UNC-G and was a lifetime UNC-G Alumni member. She was a board member and secretary for the Wilkes Family YMCA, secretary of the Wilkes Regional Medical Center Auxiliary Board, and a member of the Friends of the Library Board. She was also a member of the Wilkes Art Gallery and Oakwoods Country Club. 

Peggy worked in the Title I program of the North Wilkesboro City School System and taught briefly at North Wilkesboro Elementary and Wilkes Central High School. She served as an administrative assistant for the ASU/Wilkes Area Teaching Center for nine years and then as office manager for the Wilkes Regional Education Center until her retirement in 1993. 

In addition to her parents, Peggy was preceded in death by an infant daughter; four brothers-in-law, C.H. Necessary, Jr., William (Bill) Oliver Swofford, William (Bill) Eller Casey and James (Jim) Emory Swofford; and a much-loved niece, Adrienne Louise Necessary. 

She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Carl; one daughter, Nancy Swofford Snipes (Perry) of North Wilkesboro; one son, Jeffery Franklin Swofford of Wilkesboro; four grandchildren, James (Jay) Franklin Snipes (Anna) of St. Louis, MO, Katherine (Katie) Snipes Roberts (Vince) of Greensboro, Edward Paul Swofford (Emily) of Fort Mill, SC, and Morgan Lee Swofford (Rebekah) of North Wilkesboro; four great-grandchildren, Oliver Tate and Willow Jane Swofford, Cora Lee Roberts and Declan Ray Swofford; two sisters, Frances H. Casey of North Wilkesboro and Ann Rita Necessary of Millers Creek; a sister-in-law, Jodi D. Swofford of Wilkesboro; and a brother-in-law, John D. Swofford (Nora) of Greensboro. 

Other very special family members are Ellen Casey (Thomas Hemmendinger), Sarah Howell (Keith), Andrew Casey (Lisa), LeeAnn Brownlee (John), Russ Necessary (Ashley), Todd Swofford (Diana), Heather S. Johnson, Mark Swofford (Monica), Beth Swofford, Rob Swofford, Autumn Wooden (Sherman), Chad Swofford (Caitlyn) and Amie Caudle (Mike).

Special great-nieces and nephews are Anna and Samuel Hemmendinger; Emily Pardue (Joseph), William Howell and Catherine Mathias (Chance); Molly and Barbara Casey; Thompson Sevilla (Michael) and Cate Brownlee; Hayes, Barrett and Reid Necessary; Aaron and Ethan Swofford; Jack, Sam Henry and Emma Swofford, Maya, Lyla and Lincoln Wooden; Owen and Ellie Swofford; and Emerson and Colson Caudle. 

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Thursday, March 19, 2026, at the First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro with Pastors Kelley Groce and Steve Snipes officiating. The family will receive friends in the church Faith Center immediately following the service. Family burial services were held at Mountlawn Memorial Park prior to the memorial service. 

Memorials may be made to the Adrienne Louise Necessary Scholarship Fund at Wilkes Community College (WCC Endowment Corporation, PO Box 120, Wilkesboro, NC 28697) or to the Choral Music Ministry Program of the First United Methodist Church of North Wilkesboro (PO Box 1145, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659).  

The family would like to thank Peggy’s fulltime caregivers; Betty Donham, Carolyn Kilby, Shirley Poore and Vanessa Pickens and her weekend caregivers; Home Instead-Allison, Mercy, Sandy and Lidany.

Online condolences may be made to www.reinssturdivant.com. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Peggy Lee (Harris) Swofford, please visit our floral store.