Lamar Marie Swain Taft

Dec. 18, 1942 – Nov. 25, 2015

Mrs. Lamar Marie Swain Taft, 72, loving wife, mother, sister, and grandmother, passed away peacefully in her home in Winston-Salem, NC on November 25, 2015 after an 18-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Lamar was born at Duke Hospital on December 18, 1942 to parents Florence Stowe Swain and Wingate Elwood Swain who at the time was a first year medical student at Duke. Reflecting the distinction of being the first granddaughter in the family, her given name honors both of her grandmothers, Laura Hewett Swain and Margaret Wells Stowe. Lamar spent her early childhood in Shallotte, NC, her father’s hometown and where he established a general medical practice. When he was called back into military service due to the Korean Conflict, Lamar and the growing family relocated to Churchland, VA where she and her sister, Ann, forged lifelong friendships with their 6th and 7th grade classmates. In 1957, the family moved to Orlando, FL where her father completed his orthopedic residency.

In 1958, the family returned to North Carolina and settled in “Little Washington”, her mother’s hometown and new home to her father’s orthopedic clinic.

During her teen years in Washington, Lamar emerged as a leader, active in Washington High School, church and community affairs from cheerleading to drama and even as host of the popular “Teen Canteen” television show on local WITN-TV. As a rising junior in high school, Lamar first met Charles at MYF summer camp in Louisburg, NC, a courtship that flourished when they both attended Duke University.

Upon Lamar’s graduation from Duke with a major in English in 1965, the two were married and this past June 25th celebrated 50 years of marriage.

As a young wife, Lamar supported Charles’s medical studies by teaching in the Durham Public Schools. While Charles was serving as a medical officer on active duty in the US Navy, Lamar gave birth to their two sons. After a 4-year orthopedic residency at Duke Medical Center, the family moved to Winston-Salem in 1976.

Lamar dedicated her time and energy to a variety of community initiatives and volunteer activities around Winston-Salem. One of the many marks she made was restoring and preserving Stauber Farm, a mid-19th century farmstead located near historic Bethania, NC.

In the tranquil setting of the farm, Lamar found “joy every day” and impressed that

philosophy upon those who knew her.

Although occupied by many interests, her family, whom she showered with love, was her first priority. In addition to her husband Charles, Lamar is survived by a son Charles Spencer Taft, his wife Shannon Trigony Taft and their daughters Erin (13 years) and Jordan (12 years) of Atlanta, GA; a son Wesley Van Taft, his wife Emily Morton Taft and their sons Raymond (9 years) and Spencer (7 years) of Vero Beach, FL; and a daughter Ann Fleming Taft Powell, her husband Joseph Bales Powell and their daughters Madelyn (5 years) and Lila (7 months) of Charlotte, NC.

Also surviving are a brother, Wingate E. Swain, Jr. and his wife Nancy of Durham, NC; and stepsisters Nancy Roebuck Wright and her husband Chuck of Raleigh; Susan Roebuck Taylor and her husband Larry of W. Friendship, MD and Betsy Roebuck Rodgers and her husband Fred of Mt. Pleasant, SC.

Brothers- and sisters- in- law Bill and Mary Hannah Taft and Richard and Cheryl Taft, all of Greenville, NC also survive her.

Nieces and nephews (and grandnieces and grandnephews especially) will fondly remember Lamar (known by the younger ones as “MA-ree”) for her wonderful holiday gatherings at the Stauber Farm, which always featured an appearance by Santa himself! She had a magnetic personality, amazing smile and a genuine concern for the lives of other people. She was a lifelong learner and fostered many old and new friendships in book clubs and garden clubs.

Her grace and unforgettable smile will be remembered by many.

Preceding her in death are her mother, Florence, her father, Wingate, her stepfather, Leon Roebuck, and her beloved sister, Ann Swain Erdenberger.

A memorial service celebrating Lamar’s life will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem on Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow in the Calhoun Room.

The family would like to thank Thea Pistole and Amanda Durham for their loving assistance with Lamar’s care in her final days.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to either of the following:

Boston-Thurmond Initiative Fund (a newly formed neighborhood place-based

rehabilitation project with an emphasis on early childhood education), c/o Winston-Salem Foundation, 751 W. Fourth St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101, www.wsfoundation.org/page.aspx?pid=1001; The Augustine Literacy Project of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 520 Summit St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101, 336-723-4391 ext. 1504, email: info@readws.org.