Rev. Maurice Swinford

HERRIN -- Rev. Maurice Lysle Swinford, 78, died at 4:09 a.m. Saturday (June 24, 2006) in Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Burial was in Herrin City Cemetery. The Meredith-Waddell Funeral Home, in Herrin, was in charge of arrangements. He was born March 17, 1928, in Charleston, the son of George Albert and Bessie Josephine Murphy Swinford. He married Charlotte Fender in 1948; she survives. Other survivors include three daughters, Valorie Mount of Herrin, Debbie Dotson of Chatham and Laurie Goodwin of Carterville; one brother, Rusty Swinford of Mattoon; one sister, Kathleen Beck of Charleston; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by three sisters and one brother. Rev. Swinford was a Southern Baptist pastor serving in churches in Scottsburg, Ind., Makanda, Ashmore, Enon, Casey, Pinckneyville and Herrin. He was called to serve Illinois Baptists as church development division director for the Illinois Baptist State Association for 10 years, and six years as executive director. After retirement he continued serving as interim pastor at numerous churches.