James Albert Swann Sr.
This past Palm Sunday March 24, 2024, Rev. James Swann Sr., age 77, was called home to be with the Lord. He had recently been struggling with complications of congestive heart failure among other health concerns and his body was tired. We were not ready for him to leave us, but he was ready to meet the Lord and we look forward to the day that we see him again in heaven. “So, we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. “2 Corinthians 5: 6-8
James will always be loved and greatly missed by his surviving family members especially his wife of more than 55 years, Lillian M. Swann and his children James (Michelle) Swann, Jr, Missy Swann (John Hummel), David (Elizabeth) Swann and Matthew Swann, his grandchildren Lisa Keely Farmer, Kristian Swann, Cameron Hummel, Gage Swann, Mac England, Tyler Thompson, Nathaniel Swann, Kierian Swann, Kiera Swann, Brian Gorff, Branden Swann, and multiple great grandchildren.
He was the fifth of eleven children, born on November 16, 1946, to Dewey Lee (Dude) Swann and Dorothy Alene (Quick) Swann at their home in Cullman County Alabama. He is preceded in death by his parents Dude and Dorothy, brothers Melvin Swann and Joe Swann, and sisters Patricia Cook, Brenda Johnson, Barbara Ann Vanzandt and Virginia Brock. Surviving siblings include brothers Lewis Swann and John Swann and sisters Linda Goff and Glenda Sue Standridge.
James and Lillian were married on October 22, 1968, when he was 22 and she was 19. They grew up together and built their lives around their family. They were blessed with a large family of four children who blessed them further with their children and great grandchildren. They lived in Alabama most of their lives together but also in Jacksonville Florida for several years and Phoenix Arizona for a few years before returning to Cullman in the late 1990s. James pastored or held leadership positions in several small churches in North Alabama and Florida and loved being in the house of the Lord. When he wasn’t outdoors, you would often find him quietly reading his Bible and in the last couple years he would cheerfully tell you that he read through his Bible from cover to cover more than 15 times and always found something new to share with someone. He read the Bible to his children when they were young, and they especially loved it when he read the story about Balaam and his donkey. He was opinionated and firm in his convictions. He was very social and loved a good fifth Sunday meeting or a night watch service or a church homecoming, especially if there was a lot of good food, good preaching and good gospel singing.
He liked to have fun and had an acute sense of humor. He was quick to laugh and loved it when others joined in the fun. He could be a bit of a prankster and you knew he was up to something when he raised one eyebrow and gave a sly grin. He loved to fish or hunt with his brothers, cousins, sons, friends and especially with his grandkids and they loved fishing with him. You would often find him with a line in the water somewhere with one or several grandkids or great grandkids in tow to catch some fish. He liked to garden and grow his own vegetables to eat and share with his family. Most recently James got a lot of joy in having his great grandsons Matthew and Michael live with them. They brought immense happiness to his later years, and he said that they kept him young.
Please join family and friends in celebrating James Swann’s ultimate promotion at the viewing on Thursday March 28, 2024, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm, funeral service on Friday morning March 29, 2024, at 11:00 am at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home, 255 County Road 1435, Cullman, AL 35058, and burial following the service at New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church, 1335 County Road 38 Hanceville, AL 35077.
