Thomas Julian Swafford

Thomas Julian Swafford (Tommy) was born and reared in Jackson, MS. He was the son of Mary Inez Bush Swafford and Thomas Julian Swafford. He married Betty Jane “B.J.”Odom Swafford and they reared their three children Stephen Thomas, Stacey Watson, and Stephanie Lee in Kosciusko, MS. He was educated in the Jackson Public Schools and after high school he entered the U.S.Army and served as a corpsman in the Army Medical Corp. He attended Mississippi State University and Belhaven College and earned a B.A. in Business. Later in his career he was certified as a professional constructor by the American Institute of Constructors.

Mr. Swafford entered the workforce at an early age and completed his professional career as a mechanical contractor. He was an officer in Ivey Mechanical and while there held multiple mechanical licenses in 22 states. He served as a member of the National American Council for Construction Education Committee as well as a member of the ACCE Accreditation Committee, the University of Southern Mississippi Industrial Advisory Committee, and a member of Holmes Community College’s Industrial Committee. He was a member of the Mississippi Partnership Workforce Investment Board. During his professional career, Mr. Swafford co-authored twelve text book revisions of HVAC, Contren Learning Series.

Mr. Swafford was also active in his church and community. He was a member of First Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and as Chairman of the addition and refurbishing project of the church and he served on numerous church committees and for over 40 years worked in the youth department where he taught Sunday School. He loved mission work and went on numerous trips to help churches and families in need. Some of Mr. Swafford’s civic work included member and Chairman of the Kosciusko- Attala Historical Board of Directors and Organizing Chairman of the Historical Preservation Committee. He was a member and President of the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Chapter Sons of the American Revolution and served as state second Vice President. Mr. Swafford served on the staff of Governor John Bell Williams and Governor William Waller. The Kosciusko Jr. Auxiliary selected him as King of their Charity Ball.

The previously scheduled services have been postponed.