Joyce Baldwin Swafford, age 82, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 after a 16 year battle with cancer.

She was born on November 29, 1935 at home in Burningtown in Macon County, NC and was preceded in death by her parents Carl and Vergie Baldwin and brother, Charles (Jack) Baldwin.

She is survived by the love of her life, Charles Swafford, sister June Sorrells, brother John Baldwin, 7 nieces, 3 nephews and 17 great nieces and nephews. She started school in Burningtown and moved to Iotla for 6th grade where she first met her beloved Charles where they shared a back-to-back desk. She turned around to see who shared her desk; he winked and there it began. (He gave her a Valentine that year that wouldn't fit into the class box!) Joyce graduated from Franklin High, received her Associates degree at Mars Hill College and Undergraduate degree at WCU. Early in her collegiate years she discovered her second love, teaching. She was like a sponge. She read and studied everything she could get her hands on and taught her fellow classmates with the enthusiasm and energy that carried her throughout her 34 years of educating junior high students in Math and Science. Joyce didn't just teach, she inspired, motivated and pushed the kids to be the best they could be. She loved sports, the competiveness, the thrill of winning and the challenge of losing. She took her students to competitions where they had impressive state-wide and even national victories. And, it wasn't just the academics, it was having fun in the purest sense. They played car games, practical jokes on each other, sang songs, and celebrated life to the fullest. She didn't have children of her own, but she influenced the lives of hundreds of children that didn't just make them better adults, but made our world a better place. Joyce remained dedicated to her Lord her entire life teaching Sunday School, leading the GA's, singing in the choir, serving on committees, participating in the weekly dinners and investing her resources into the growth and effectiveness of Iotla Baptist Church for over 50 years while similarly contributing to various churches as she and Charles resided and visited in various places across NC. Joyce made a difference. Her smile, contagious laughter, pragmatic perspective and 'open door' will be sorely missed; her impact will transcend through many generations to come.

Visitation will be at 1:00 PM this Saturday at Iotla Baptist Church with the funeral service to follow at 2:00 PM. Rev. Steve Reeves and Rev. Brandon Breedlove will officiate.

Donations may be sent to the Cemetery Fund of Iotla Baptist Church or Angel Hospice in Franklin.

Macon Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Condolences can be made to the family at www.maconfuneralhome.com