Naoma Kerr McSween's Obituary
MCSWEEN, NAOMA (NINA) KERR During Nina’s 84 years of life, she certainly lived up to the meaning of her name-beautiful, pleasant and delightful. Nina lived a life full of joy that began in DeVall’s Bluff, Arkansas. She was full of optimism, independence, creativity, and confidence. After graduation from high school at age 16, she left home to work in an ammunitions plant and at other secretarial positions in order to finance her first two years of college at David Lipscomb and her final two years of college at the University of Tennessee, where she graduated with a degree in Home Economics. She began her career as a buyer with Miller’s Department Store, and a few years later left that position to marry her college sweetheart, Robert McSween. After marriage, she worked for several years as a County Extension Agent in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Her position entailed working with adults, teaching students in 4H, and delivering a radio program. She enjoyed working with both adults and students to provide them education regarding sewing, cooking, gardening, time management, taking care of the home, and other related topics. Her confidence allowed her to believe she could do anything she set out to do. She did giggle, though, when she talked about how she once taught 4H students to swim even though she was unable to swim herself and was more than a little afraid of the water. She ceased working outside the home at the birth of her daughter, Kerri, and then began to devote her full-time efforts to creating a warm and loving home for her husband and daughter. She also spent much time in volunteer work with the PTA and with leading Kerri’s brownie and girl scout troops. When the family moved to Dallas, Nina became involved with the local garden club and HEIH, Home Economics group. She was extremely creative and visionary and was frequently called upon to design anything from a school-house door for a Christmas contest to decorations for school dinners to stuffed toys to provide to underprivileged children to exhibits for the State Fair. She enjoyed sewing, traveling, visiting art museums, and attending Church at Waterview Church of Christ. Nina also had a great affinity for nature and the simple pleasures in life. Many of her most cherished possessions were the shells, rocks, pine cones, bird feathers, and flowers she collected on her travels. She was a beautiful and graceful woman with a quiet warmth, a sweet and humble spirit, a quick wit, and an enduring faith in God. She was a model of a Proverbs 31 virtuous wife and mother, and she will be greatly missed in this lifetime. Surviving family members include her daughter, Kerri McSween; nephews, John Wampler and John McSween and their families; and nieces, Elizabeth Lockhart and Gail Seastrom and their families. A private committal service is being planned at the DFW National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, the Dallas Arboretum, or any charity of your choice.
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