Cleo Ann Swagerty, age 86, died on Monday, March 15, 2021, in the presence of her family who loved her.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 18, 2021, at Hass Funeral Home in Clayton, New Mexico with Rev. Billy Rammage officiating. Burial will follow in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors of Clayton.
Ann was born on April 21, 1934, in Clayton, New Mexico to Leo Lloyd Butt and Abbie Robina Dodds Butt. She grew up outside Clayton and graduated from Clayton High School in 1952. Ann married Jerry Tom Swagerty on March 16, 1952, and they were married for nearly 70 years. They met at a Halloween party in Clayton. Together they had three sons—Tom, Dan, and Randy Swagerty, all of Clayton, NM. Ann and Jerry moved to Salzburg, Austria in 1952, where they lived for 19 months while Jerry served in the Army. They also spent time in San Luis Obispo, California. Ann loved California and being close to the beach, although Jerry did not. It had too many people and was too far away from Clayton. Ann was an avid and accomplished golfer. She took lessons starting in 1972 and continued playing until late in life. In 1976 she played in a bi-centennial tournament in Hobbs, New Mexico, where she placed second out of 150 golfers in her flight. She was responsible for teaching several of her children and grandchildren to play golf and was proud of her 7 holes-in-one. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Bill Butt, and her sisters Jane Cowert, Phyllis Stephenson, and infant sister Caroline.
SURVIVORS:
Her husband of nearly 70 years, Jerry Tom Swagerty of Clayton.
1 SISTER: Marilyn Gillespie of Madisonville, Kentucky.
3 SONS: Tom Swagerty and wife Jill, Dan Swagerty and wife Hilma, and Randy Swagerty and wife Dianna.
She is also survived by 8 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren, with one on the way.
MEMORIALS: The family suggests donations in Ann’s memory to the Clayton Municipal Golf Club.
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