Obituary of Anna N. Birckhead

SOUTH COLTON— Calling hours for Anna N. Birckhead, 104, a resident of the United Helpers Maplewood Campus and formerly of the Little John Road, South Colton, will be held on Tuesday, November 21, 2023 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the Buck Funeral Home in Colton. Burial with the family in attendance will be held in the South Colton Cemetery. Mrs. Birckhead passed away peacefully Tuesday evening, November 14, 2023 at the Maplewood Campus. Anna is survived by her son, William "Bill" (Carolyn "Lyn") Swafford, South Colton; a daughter-in-law, Pat Swafford, Raliegh, NC; two step-sons, James (Carol) Birckhead, Great Falls, MT and Hunter (Karen) Birckhead, NJ; her five beloved grandchildren Elizabeth Swafford, Neil (Amanda) Swafford, Mark Swafford and Diana Griffith , Ian Swafford and Amy (Stephen) Rambeau; ten great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter as well as several nieces and nephews. A first marriage to William T. Swafford ended in divorce. Anna was pre-deceased by her parents, her first husband and by her soulmate of nearly 50 years Charles K. Birckhead, her son Benjamin Swafford, two brothers, Clarence and Wilber Neil, three sisters, Verna Adler, Wilda Hutchinson and Mary Lipchus and her little furry companion (chihuahua) Fluffy. Born in Champion, NY on April 12, 1919 to the late Robert C. and Mary Jane Shields Neil, Anna attended school and later received her GED at the age of 69 years old. Anna worked for Dr. Adest in Potsdam as an eye doctor technician for many years. She loved her dog Fluffy and enjoyed the outdoors-- gardening, snowmobiling on the first Skidoos ever sold (with some hair-raising tales to tell!) boating on the Annie B. on the Raquette River and on Cranberry Lake (more tales!) and later sailing the Great Lakes and New York rivers with Charlie on their 30-foot sloop Why Worry until the young age of 80 years old. The "sea stories" from all their adventures would fill a book! For the past 15 years, up to her 102nd birthday, she and Fluffy enjoyed riding up and down the Little John Road in her UTV Ranger. The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff of the North Neighborhood at the United Helpers Campus for giving Mom, Gramma, Gma, GG such wonderful care during her time in the nursing home. You showed your love for her, and she gave it back to you. She might have had a cheeky retort to share with you also! Anna loved having coffee with Bill every morning and enjoyed having a houseful of family every time the gang got together. Memorial donations in Anna's memory can be made to the Colton Hepburn Library and memories and condolences may be shared online at www.buckfuneralhome.com. The Buck Funeral Home in Colton is serving the family of Anna N. Birckhead.