Charlotte Swann

Obituary For Charlotte Swann

Charlotte Frances Chalmers Swann, also known simply as “Lottie,” beloved mother and cherished member of her community, passed away peacefully on January 29, 2024, at the age of 96, in Greensboro, NC. She was surrounded by her loving family in her final days.

Mother Swann was born on May 29th, 1927, in the little town of Buckhorn near Broadway, NC. She was the sixth and youngest child born to the late John Richard Chalmers and Mollie Judd Chalmers.

Charlotte grew up in Sanford, NC where she graduated from Lee County Training School in 1945. Charlotte then matriculated to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College (now A&T State University) in Greensboro, NC. At A&T, Charlotte met and married her college sweetheart, Ernest James Swann, Jr. in 1946; a union that would last more than 61 years. To this union were born four children, Robert Linwood (deceased), Ronald Shelton, Paula Gale, and Kenneith Wayne. Charlotte and Ernest adopted two sons: John L. Walker, Sr. (deceased), and their grandson, Charles E. Goodman, Jr.

Charlotte valued education and instilled its importance in her children and grandchildren. Charlotte finished her degree at A&T in 1968 with a B.A. in Business Education. Charlotte spent much of her time in service to her family and the Greensboro community. She taught part time at Guilford Technical College and was a substitute teacher at J.C. Price Junior High School and Hampton Elementary School. She also served as an aide at L. Richardson Memorial Hospital and as a school crossing guard. Finally, she served as a public health assistant for the Guilford County Health Department for 22 years.

Charlotte became a Christian at an early age and was baptized in a small local creek at 12 years old. In 1946, Charlotte joined the United Holy Church under Bishop M.H. Morton. The church later merged with the Pentecostal United Holiness Church and the church was named Morton Temple. Charlotte remained a faithful and active member of Morton Temple for many years. She later became a member of Holy Temple United Holiness Church under the leadership of Bishop Morris Lewis. At Holy Temple, Charlotte served as a Deaconess and a Mother of the Church. Charlotte loved nothing more than to proclaim her love for Jesus Christ. Each year, Charlotte attended the annual United Holiness Conference in Goldsboro, NC. She served the conference in several capacities, including secretary of the missionary department for over 20 years and a conference reporter. She also served 15 years as the chairperson of the Education Hour for the District Union. In recent years, Charlotte became a dedicated member of St. Mark United Holiness Church under the leadership of Reverend Anthony Love.

Family was very important to Charlotte; she remained extremely close to her siblings and deeply involved with the Judd-Chalmers family, organizing several reunions and faithfully attending every year in which she was able. Charlotte never met a stranger and was well known within her church and her community for her generous spirit and her signature hats. Charlotte was featured in the book Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas she made and delivered handkerchiefs and candy. She had a passion for giving back to her community, serving as an active member of the Dudley Heights Neighborhood Association, and was involved with charitable organizations such as the Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA and North Carolina A&T State University. Charlotte was a member of the Greensboro Chapter of the Red Hat Society and actively engaged in local and national politics and encouraged those in her community to do so as well.

Charlotte was preceded in death by her five siblings, her husband Ernest, two of her sons, Robert and John, and grandson Kentucky State Representative Lamin Swann.

A remarkable woman who touched the lives of many, Charlotte will be deeply missed by her children Ronald Swann (Estella), Paula Harrington, Kenneith Swann (Debbie), Marian Walker, Patricia Ann Swann, Charles Goodman, Jr, her 13 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

There will be a wake on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at Perry J. Brown Funeral Home, 909 E. Market St. Greensboro, NC 27401, in the Cassie Coote-Brown Memorial Chapel from 6-8pm.

A service honoring her life will be held on Friday, February 9th, 2024 at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church; 408 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Greensboro, NC 27406.

The visitation will begin at 11:30am with the service following at 12noon.

The Entombment will take place following the service at Guilford Memorial Park 6000 Gate City Blvd. Greensboro, NC.

In lieu of flowers make a donation to Hayes Taylor Memorial YMCA or North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

Here is the link for the livestream of the funeral:

YouTube Channel
Greensboro – New Zion Missionary Baptist Church
https://bit.ly/NewZionGSO

Send flowers to the service of Charlotte Swann

Honor the life of Charlotte Swann

Add a Candle

Click a candle below to add a candle to your message.