Lida Lee Swain McCord

1925 - 2016

Lida Lee Swain McCord
Ft. Valley, GA- Lida Lee Swain McCord passed away peacefully, May 12, with members of her family at her side. She left this world with the same strength, grace, and dignity that she exuded throughout her life. It is impossible to remember Lida Lee without her overflowing love of people—an exuberant and untiring love that endured despite the most trying circumstances.
Lida Lee was born August 7, 1925 in San Antonio, Texas, to John and Esther Brown. She was raised in New Orleans and graduated from Mt. Carmel Academy and attended Dominican College. While in her Lakeview neighborhood, she met her late husband, Sidney Swain. They married in 1947, eventually moving to Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte was home to their three children, Susan, Bert, and Sydney. In 1971, Lida Lee lost her husband in a tragic airplane accident. In 1975, she remarried Turner Ashby McCord and moved to Ft. Valley, Georgia. They also shared a home in Boca Grande, Florida.
Surviving Lida Lee are her brother Donald Brown (wife Elaine), and sister Ann Brown Scala (pre-deceased by her husband Henry), daughter Sydney Swain Dunning, son Bert Swain (wife Karen), her grandchildren Ian Lee Swain (wife Stefanie and children), Lida Swain Dunning, Brian Sidney Swain, and Peter Phillips Dunning, Jr. Her step-children, Fran Coody (husband Henry), Tim McCord (wife Jan) and her step-grandchildren Wesley Coody (wife Gini and family), Ashlee Wood (husband Blair and family), Linsey Freeman (husband Faegan and family), Molly Rabalais (husband Josh ), Henry McCord and John McCord.
Lida Lee was a wonderful mother, grandmother, sister, wife, and friend to many. She adored her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and made every person who crossed her path a witness to that affection, too. Her spirit of generosity, poise, and charisma was boundless. In her family and friends, she instilled the belief that anything was possible and that everything was beautiful. That indomitable spirit was evident over the past twenty years as she lived with the repercussions of a stroke that stole her ability to speak and paralyzed the entire right side of her body. She not only survived, she continued to spread her spirit of warmth, gratitude, and love to everyone around her. Before her stroke, Lida Lee was a housewife, a successful business woman, and a Hollywood-worthy star of charm and grace. She owned and operated her own gourmet food shop in the downtown Charlotte Belk's department store for thirteen years. And, after the untimely death of her husband, Sidney, she also used her incredible strength to carry on their business as well--a gourmet food brokerage business (The Bert L. Swain Company), joining up with her brother in law, Henry Scala. Despite her tireless work in her businesses and in caring for her family, she managed to seem effortlessly glamorous and always put-together. Because everything Lida Lee did in this world, she did it all the way.
Lida Lee will be forever missed and loved, but her spirit lives on in those who knew her and looked up to her.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to the Pine Pointe Hospice in Macon, Georgia--who took special, loving care of her in final days--by going to Pine Pointe Hospice website and clicking on the link, "Give to Pine Pointe Hospice and Palliative Care" and instructions will follow.
There will be a graveside service at Sharon Memorial Park in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, June 25th at 3pm, with a celebration of life following.


View the online memorial for Lida Lee Swain McCord