Lottie Huffman Swink

Lottie Huffman Swink died on August 30, 2013, due to complications from several strokes. She was born on August 4, 1925, in the Walker’s Chapel community near Morganton, to John Mackie and Catherine Keller Huffman. Lottie graduated as Salutatorian from George Hildebran High School and served as a supply teacher in Jonas Ridge during WWII. She and Elbert C. Swink were married on February 15, 1946, and settled in Hickory, where he graduated from Lenoir Rhyne College. In 1962 she became one of the first older students to attend Lenoir Rhyne, graduating in 1966 with a degree in English, Magna Cum Laude. She received various awards while a student, including Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, the English Award, and Cambridge University’s Who’s Who. She taught at Hickory High School for one year before receiving a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship to graduate school. She received her Masters degree in English Literature in 1968 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and taught at Lenoir Rhyne for seven years, specializing in southern literature. After leaving Lenoir Rhyne, she held various positions with the Catawba County Department of Social Services until her retirement.Lottie and Elbert retired back to his family’s farm in the Walker’s Chapel community in 1993. Lottie served as President of the Hickory Soup Kitchen Board; a board member of the Burke County Geneological Society, County Library, and Historical Society; and for years served on the Keller Scholarship Committee. An ordained elder, she was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church in Morganton, serving a term as Moderator of Presbyterian Women and Chair of the Congregational Care Committee. Lottie and Elbert were known for their gardening and canning activities, and shared enormous quantities of food with the community over the years. One of Lottie’s main passions was cooking, and she was well known for her "goody bags" of home baked items and jams that she distributed to friends and neighbors.Lottie also contributed book reviews and other articles to the Morganton News Herald and made a number of presentations to various groups related to southern literature. She was predeceased by her husband Elbert and nine other siblings. She is survived by her daughter Jeanne Simpson; son Elbert Jr.; son in law Jim Simpson; daughter in law Dawn Makarios; five grandchildren , Catherine Dutton (Randy), Jeneane Chmieleski (Phil), Kyle Makarios (Erin), Matthew Makarios (Gina), and Jesse Makarios (Christie), and three great grandchildren (Emma Makarios, Henry Makarios, and Maggie Makarios).Services will be held at First Presbyterian Church, Morganton on Monday, September 2, at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Michael Bailey officiating. Burial will follow at Walker’s Chapel Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive at Sossoman Funeral Home on Sunday, September 1, from 4:00 until 6:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Keller Scholarship Fund, care of Jeannie Whisnant, 118 N. Sterling St, Morganton, NC 28655. Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.