James Swafford
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James Nolen Swafford died peacefully at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center after battling Covid-19, with his son, Robert and daughter, Renea at his side.
Jim was born in Oklahoma City to parents Nolen and Bernice Swafford, and graduated from Arlington High School in 1955. He was a graduate of Arlington High School, the University of Texas at Arlington and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University. He married Judy Gipson in June of 1961, when they moved to Grand Prairie, Texas.
Jim moved into the banking industry and also began a long history of public service in Grand Prairie in the 1970s, serving as a Council Member and Mayor Pro Tem from 1977-1979. More recently, he was elected to represent Grand Prairie City Council District 2 in 1998 and repeatedly thereafter through 2020. He was named Mayor Pro Tem five times by the City Council, and was Vice President and Finance Chairman of the Grand Prairie Sports Facilities Development Corporation as well as Chairman of the City Council's Finance and Government Committee. Before being elected to the City Council, he had previously served on the city's Housing Finance Corporation, and TIF Districts 1 (Chairman), 2 and 3. He retired in 1996 as President and CEO of Nations Bank/Bank of America and its predecessor banks.
His record of public service includes: Board of Directors of the Methodist Health System in Dallas since 1985; member of the Methodist Mansfield Hospital Advisory Board; elected to the Grand Prairie Independent School District Board of Education 1984-1993 and was its President 1985-1986. Swafford was an Honorary Life Member of South Grand Prairie Quarterback Club and the "Voice of the Warriors" for more than 40 years. He served as President, Corporate Secretary and Asset Manager of the Grand Prairie Quality of Life Foundation, Inc.; won the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce Zeus Award in 1998; was Vice-President and a Life Member of the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce (Member of the Year 1970 and 1976; Citizen of the Year 1996). He was Vice-President of the Grand Prairie Crime Commission; Past-President of the local Lions Club; member and director of the Grand Prairie Rotary Club; Past Master of the Arlington Masonic Lodge; member of the DeMolay Legion of Honor; Board Member and Treasurer of the Grand Prairie YMCA. He and wife Judy were avid golfers, and he played a mean game of racquetball.
He is survived by son Robert and partner Eduardo; daughter Renea and husband Dave; sister Judy and husband Steve; sister-in-law June and husband Brad; granddaughter Jane Anne, husband Jerred, great-grandsons Graham and Colby; grandson Johnson Nolen and husband Jonas; nieces and nephews Angela, Eric, Matt, Drew and Chris; and many great-nephews and -nieces. Preceding him in death are his wife, Judy and parents; Nolen and Bernice.
To leave a message for the family and to view additional photos, visit https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/grand-prairie-tx/james-swafford-9928344. Memorial donations may be made to Grand Prairie United Charities (gpuc.org) or Grand Prairie Quality of Life Foundation.