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Addie Peed Swearingen, 104, passed away Wednesday, June 18, 2008, at Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis, NM. At the time of her passing, she was a resident of the Farwell Convalescence Center in Farwell, TX. Mrs. Swearingen was born on May 25, 1904, in Leon County, TX, to Oscar and Mary Peed. The family traveled from East Texas to the Elida community by train in 1909, and young Addie attended several rural schools before completing her high school education in Elida. While still in her teens, Mrs. Swearingen moved to Roswell to attend beauty school and lived in Denver and Tucumcari for short periods of time. She lived in Santa Fe for 28 years, and was a beautician for 13 years at the beauty shop in the famed La Fonda Hotel. Mrs. Swearingen returned to Elida in 1960 and lived with her mother until the family ranch was sold in 1979. Addie then moved to Portales where she would remain for the rest of her life. After moving to Portales, Mrs. Swearingen became an avid traveler, taking trips to such places as Panama, the Caribbean, New Orleans, San Francisco, and her favorite-the Holy Land. Addie became a Christian at an early age and continued her strong Christian faith throughout her life. She was a long-time member of Portales' First Baptist Church and was very generous in her contributions to the church. Mrs. Swearingen and her husband "Hub" became wealthy through purchasing land and mineral rights, mostly in Eddy County. When oil and gas deposits were discovered on the land, income from the these rights provided money for Mrs. Swearingen to become one of the leading philanthropists in eastern New Mexico. She was generous to both friends and strangers, and many people and organizations benefited from her generosity. Mrs. Swearingen was a great friend to Eastern New Mexico University. She endowed many scholarships to support students in nursing, the fine arts, accounting and other academic programs. Mrs. Swearingen also donated funds for the University's pipe organ and loaned much of her extensive art collection to ENMU for display. To honor her generosity, she received the ENMU Alumni Association's Distinguished Service Award in 1983 and was recognized as the ENMU Foundation's Philanthropist of the Year in 2002. In addition to her support of Eastern New Mexico University's students, Mrs. Swearingen contributed the first scholarship awarded to a female cadet at New Mexico Military Institute and donated considerable funds to support the music program at Lubbock Christian University. Addie was preceded in death by her parents; siblings; and husband, William "Hub" Swearingen, who died in 1975. She is survived by her cousin, Esther Luna, of New Jersey; and by her great friend and caregiver of 30 years, Mrs. Mary Mixon Mendoza of Portales. A Private Service for Addie Peed Swearingen was held Friday, June 20, at the Portales Cemetery with Dr. Buck Wilson officiating.
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