Mary Bowers - Rogersville

ROGERSVILLE — Mary Bowers, 91, of Rogersville, departed this life on Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2009) at Signature Healthcare of Rogersville.
Mrs. Bowers was a member of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church where she was very active and held many different positions. Mrs. Bowers was a graduate of Swift Memorial Junior College, Rogersville, and Tennessee A&I State University, Nashville. She was a former teacher of Swift Memorial Junior College, Swift High School and Church Hill High School. Mrs. Bowers was a member of the Hawkins County Retired-Rogersville Teachers Association, AKA Sorority and The Black History Association. She was born in Georgia and lived her childhood in Limestone but has made her home in Rogersville for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold James Bowers; parents, Jessie and Annie Lou Price; brother, John Henry Price; sisters, Annie R. Rollins, Inez Cole, Dorothy Hamilton, Marie Barner, Barbara Thomas, Bessie Wall, Violet Rollins and Beatrice Sarden.
Survivors include several nieces, nephews and cousins; very special daughter, Chrissy Fugate Johnson; sister-in-law, Norma Jean Bowers.
Calling hours are from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at Broome Funeral Home, Rogersville.
Funeral service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. David Light, the Rev. Irving Greene and the Rev. Roy Charles officiating.
Graveside services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Friday at Happy Valley Memorial Park, Elizabethton. Broome Funeral Home, Rogersville, is serving the Bowers family.

Master Sgt. James William Swafford Sr.

KINGSPORT — Master Sgt. James William Swafford Sr, 72, better known as “Sarge” or “Fatz”, went to be with the Lord Sunday morning (Sept. 6, 2009) at Wellmont Holston Valley Hospital and Medical Center. Born in Kingsport March 21, 1938, he graduated from Douglass High School, was employed by Eastman Kodak Company, and Holston Valley Medical Center before attending North Carolina A & T University. He then pursued an outstanding career in the U.S. Army and retired as a Master Sgt. after 26 years of service.
Sarge returned to Kingsport in 1981. He owned and operated “Sarge's Place Restaurant” in the Riverview Community for 31 years. He will be remembered for his famous tank burgers, love dust sauce, and the saying “you don’t need no teeth to eat my beef”.
Sarge was a brother of the Clinch Mountain Lodge Elks #531 and a member of the American Legion Post of Kingsport.
Sarge was a pillar of the Riverview community and will be greatly missed by all that knew him.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Fannie M. Murrell; his father, James E. Swafford; father-in-law, Lowell A. Webb, Sr.; son-in-law, Kirk Grady; and brother-in-law, Fredrick P. Mills, S r.
He is survived by his loving devoted wife of 40 years, Mrs. Olivia Swafford; sons, Eddie Swafford (April), James Swafford, Jr. (Jamie); daughter, Tanya Grady of Delaware; and mother-in-law, Rosemary Webb; sisters-in-law, Sylvia Mills, Lois Lawson, all of Philadelphia, Pa.; brother-in-law, Lowell Webb, Jr. (Evelyn) of Hockessin, Del.; grandchildren, Devaun Swafford, Jalen Grady, Jalen Swafford Burgess, Trahson Swafford White, Kariah Grady, Shadae Swafford, Malaya Swafford, Skysha Swafford, Dru Swafford White, Alanta Swafford, Jaliyah Swafford; one godchild, Nika Tarter; and a host of family and friends.
Visitation will be at the Central Baptist Church, Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. followed by funeral services at 7 p.m. with Rev. Ricardo Dorcean and Rev. Dr. Anthony Daniels officiating the service.
Burial will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Mountain Home Veteran’s Cemetery with military rites by the Tennessee U.S. National Guard. Cortege will depart Central Baptist Church at 10 a.m. Online condolences may be sent to the family at raclarkfuneralservice@yahoo.com. Mr. James William Swafford Sr. and family are in the care of R.A. Clark Funeral Service Inc. (423) 245-4971.

Erma Brown

KINGSPORT — Erma Flack Brown, 95, of Kingsport, went to be with the Lord on Saturday (Aug. 29, 2009) at Holston Valley Medical Center.
She was born in Rutherford County, N.C., and lived here since 1939. She was a member of Grace Temple Apostolic Eternal Life Church in Johnson City.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Simpson O. Brown, Sr.; two daughters, Anita Briscoe Pride and Kaye Brown Gaines; her eldest grandson, Ronald Kinchloe of Detroit, Mich.; her mother, Hattie Forney Flack; and her father, Sandy Flack; five sisters and five brothers, all of whom lived in North Carolina.
Survivors include her four daughters,
Marie Briscoe Kinchloe, Alma Briscoe Blye and husband, Nathan, Janice Brown Brice and Olympia LaVerne Brown Gouge, all of Kingsport; her son, Simpson Ollie Brown, Jr. and wife, Minda, of Winston-Salem, N.C.; four special grandchildren; Anita Brown, Ashley Brown, Maya Brown and Samantha Brown; a host of other grandchildren; a host of greatgrandchildren; three very special friends, Hazel Brice, Carolyn Whelchel, Sister Willie Kate Bradford; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday at Carter-Trent Funeral Home, 520 Watauga St., Kingsport and also at the home where she resided the last seven months.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Grace Temple Apostolic Eternal Life Church, 208 Garden Drive, Johnson City, Tenn. 37604, with Pastor Mark Redd and Sister Willie Kate Bradford officiating.
Eulogy will be offered by Anita Brown. Music will be provided by Pastor J.L. Grudger. Graveside services will follow at Mountain Home National Cemetery, Mountain Home, Tenn. Pallbearers will be her family and friends, with Shane Carnes and Cornell Blye. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.cartertrent.com. Carter-Trent Funeral Home, downtown Kingsport, is serving the Brown family.