WADESBORO

Martin Swanson, 89, died Jan. 10 at Lillie Bennett Nursing Center in Wadesboro.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Jan. 16 in the Chapel of Leavitt Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert Rollins, Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in Anson Memorial Park.

The family will greet friends Thursday, January 15, 2009 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home and other times at the home of his daughter, 103 Charlestown Place.

Martin was born Aug. 29, 1919 in Hunterdon County, N.J. to the late Peter Swanson and Minnie Cochran Swanson. He lived in Chatham, N.J. before moving to Wadesboro in 1976.

He was the retired owner and operator of Swanson’s Hardware, co-founder of the State Bank of Chatham, a charter member of Fairmont Country Club in Chatham and after moving to Wadesboro became an active member of Twin Valley Country Club.

Marty was an avid gardener and sportsman with football and golf being among his favorite sports and loved making split oak baskets.

He was preceded in death by his brothers and step-brother, William and Robert Swanson and Howard Thompson.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years Elizabeth “Betty” Peters Swanson of the home; his daughters, Elizabeth Watts of Wadesboro and Margaret (Michael) Feehley of Easton, Md.; five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephew and other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lillie Bennett Nursing Center, Activities Department, 500 Morven Rd., Wadesboro, NC 28170 or to Twin Valley Country Club, 2305 Country Club Rd., Wadesboro, NC 28170 or to The American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Research, 6000 Fairview Rd., Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28210.

The arrangements are in the care of Leavitt Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.leavittfuneralhomewadesboro.com.