Connie was born on February 27, 1919 in Augusta, GA. She lived there throughout high school, graduating from Tubman High School in 1937. Connie then graduated from Garrett School of Business and attended Augusta State College. Connie had met John Cooper Swearingen while in high school, and they were married on September 27, 1941, at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Augusta, GA. John was graduating from Clemson University and heading to World War II, where he would participate in the invasion of Normandy and the remainder of the war in Europe. Her life centered around loving and caring for her husband, their children and all the grandchildren and great grandchildren that followed. This remained a constant throughout her life. Connie was a military wife through World War II, Korea, and into the 60's, living in Europe and Japan and numerous US military installations. They were married for 60 years before John’s death in 2001. Their first and last assignments were at Fort Benning, GA. They settled into their home in Columbus in 1965, where Connie lived for the rest of her life and died peacefully in her sleep on March 11, 2023, with her daughter, JoAnne, at her side. She was proud to be a homemaker and a wife. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, doting grandmother and great grandmother. Due to her loving care and concern, her home was always a welcoming, peaceful and highly anticipated place to visit. She loved unconditionally, treated everyone with kindness and always saw the good in everyone she knew. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Columbus for almost 60 years, and she was the church’s oldest living member. She had been a very active member of the Christus Sunday School Class. Connie was also a longtime member of the Columbus Women's Club and the Christian Fellowship Association, For many years, she served as a volunteer at St. Francis Hospital, where she was also a member of St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary Club.
Connie is preceded in death: by her parents, William Henry and Frances Maria (Stevens) Lanier, her husband John C. Swearingen, her brothers William H. Lanier, Jr. and James F. Lanier, sister Frances Lanier Whaley, her son John C. Swearingen, Jr., his wife Suzi, of Columbus, GA, and her daughter Constance Swearingen Brooks, of Commerce, GA.
Survivors include: her daughter, JoAnne Swearingen Schuerman (William) of Bloomfield Hills, MI, her grandchildren, Kerry Morrell (Michael), of Princeton, NJ, Caroline Latham (Chan), of Midland, GA, John Robert Swearingen, of LaFayette, AL, Constance Lanier Brooks, of Commerce, GA, Todd Brooks of Atlanta, GA, William Schuerman, Jr (Stephanie), of Bethesda, MD, Katherine Lanier Schuerman, of Beverly Hills, MI, Caroline Schuerman Alexander (Evan), of Northville, MI, son-in-law Jerry Brooks, of Commerce, GA, her great grandchildren: Vaux Morrell, Lily Morrell, Suzanna Latham, John Schuerman, Sophie Lanier Schuerman, special nephew John Lanier, of Atlanta, GA and special niece, Georgia Marsh of Raleigh, NC, along with numerous other nieces, nephews and caregivers, including Scarlet Keith, her longtime housekeeper and companion.
Connie will be greatly missed by her family, loved ones and friends, but they take comfort knowing that she lived her life to the fullest, loved unconditionally and showed each of them how to be a better, kinder person. Her smile, hugs and love will never be forgotten.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that memorial contributions be made to First Baptist Church in Columbus, GA or may be made to the charity of choice.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.shcolumbus.com for the Swearingen family.
