Obituary – Nina Messer Swinford
Nina Messer Swinford
ALTHA, FL – Nina Messer Swinford, age 89, of Altha went home to be with the Lord on Aug. 12, 2024. She was born March 31, 1935, to James Calvin Messer and Florence Whitfield Messer of Altha.
Nina graduated from Altha High School in 1953 and went to Jacksonville to work as a telephone operator for Southern Bell.
In 1956, Nina married Samuel Edward Swinford of Hitchins, KY, Â who was an Airman in the US Air Force stationed at West Palm Beach Air Force Base.
As an Air Force wife, she moved her family to Charleston, SC; Albany, Ga; Hawthorne Nevada; and Biloxi, MS.  After Samuel’s retirement from the Air Force, she then worked for Morrison’s Cafeteria. The family moved to Savannah, GA; Macon, GA; and Jacksonville  before moving back to Altha in 1987.
Sam and Nina were married 39 years until he passed away in 1995.
Nina’s favorite hobby was crocheting and she crocheted very colorful afghans for each member of her family.
The remaining member of her family, she was preceded in death by her parents and brothers James MacClellan Messer, John Anna Messer, Harold Gregory Messer, and her sisters Hoyle Messer Schroeder and Evelyn Messer Herren Pinholster.
She is survived by her children, James W. Swinford (LeeAnn) of Altha; Roger A. Swinford (Amy) of Tampa  and Timothy D. Swinford of Leavenworth, KS, along with her grandchildren, Matthew N. Swinford (Aleece), Kayla A. Swinford (Christopher), and Valarie Swinford; great-grandchildren Allison Duboff and Samuel Jeremiah Snow.
Services will be held at Peavy Funeral Home Chapel in Blountstown Saturday, Aug. 24. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. CT with the service starting at 2 p.m. CT. Interment will follow at Page Pond Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of Travis Peavy of Peavy Funeral Home in Blountstown.
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