CHARLOTTE WHITTEMORE SWAFFIELD

SWAFFIELD, Charlotte Whittemore Well into her 98th year and with her family by her side, Charlotte Whittemore Swaffield, died peacefully, in Needham, on November 6. Born in Bangor, Maine, to John Cambridge Whittemore and Elizabeth Prentiss Whittemore, she was raised in Portland with her four siblings, John, Arianna, Laurence and Edward. Upon graduation from Deering High School in Portland, she attended Chamberlain School of Retailing in Boston, MA and graduated in 1948. She subsequently lived and worked in Boston, where she worked in merchandising for two department stores and developed life-long friendships, including meeting her husband, F. Hartwell "Hart" Swaffield, who was her loving partner for over 64 years. Charlotte and Hart moved to Needham in 1951, where they became long-time active members of the community. They raised three boys, Doug, Payson and Jim. Charlotte gained joy from being the "initiator" in the family, making friends and working in and giving back to the community. She worked at Welcome Wagon International, developing civic materials for newcomers to Needham as well as being the Boston representative of a major market merchandising company. She served on several boards: League of Women Voters, Deaconess at Needham Congregational Church and Needham Visiting Nurse Association. Charlotte had a curiosity and passion for learning her entire life. She loved history, including Boston's own and enjoyed serving as a tour guide of historic Boston for ExecuTours. She was an active member of Channel 2's Auction Committee and worked at Needham and Boston elementary school libraries. She enjoyed travel, collecting and cooking a variety of food recipes, and, in her later years developing her painting skills as well as mastering the latest technology to stay connected with friends and family. Paramount in her life was her family. She looked forward to participating in gatherings of multiple generations of Whittemore's and their families in homesteads in Dorset, VT and Pembroke, NH as well as connecting with Swaffield relatives at her and Hart's home in East Alton, NH. The Lake Winnipesaukee location became a special place for outdoor activities with family and friends, here Charlotte enjoyed swimming, gardening, alpine and cross-country skiing, tennis and golf. Charlotte was the last of her generation on both the Whittemore and Swaffield sides of the family. She is survived by Doug Swaffield of Danvers, Payson Swaffield and his wife, Jane of Wellesley and Jim Swaffield and his wife, Ruth Frantz of Southport, CT. She also leaves seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Charlotte's Life and the end of an era will take place at The Congregational Church of Needham, 1154 Great Plain Ave., on Saturday, December 14, at 11:00 am. Donations in her memory can be made to: WGBH, 1 Guest St., Boston, MA 02135. To share a memory of Charlotte, please visit www.eatonfuneralhomes.com