Our Story

Our founder was Mr. Robert Swinson, Jr. he learned the profession very well under the guidance and training of the Late Johnny and Clyde Albrittion of the Albrittion Funeral Home where he worked there over a period of forty years.

On April 1, 1970 his dream became a reality when Swinson Funeral Home opened its doors at 403 E. Blount Street in the old Whitehead’s Funeral Home building. In the year of 1972, the second generation of Swinson Funeral Home began with Mr. Robert A. Swinson, III. This duo of father and son worked well until Robert Swinson, Jr. health began to decline.

Nevertheless, he was still able to give administrative guidance and wisdom during the years of his sickness. During all of these years Robert A. Swinson, III had a son which he named Robert A. Swinson, IV who followed his grandfather and father just about everywhere they went Funerals, Embalming Room etc. One might say being a “Funeral Director” was his calling.

However, on Monday March 17, 1980 Robert Swinson, Jr. passed away from a massive Heart attack at home while getting ready for work at home with his wife Irene H. Swinson.

So the torch was then passed on to his son Robert A. Swinson, III, under this new leadership the need for expansion grew. So the business moved from a little red brick building beside St. John Free Will Bap. Church to a two story building that was just a couple of blocks away that use to be Jarmon’s Funeral Home.

During all of these years Robert A. Swinson, III, son Robert A. Swinson, IV (Robbie) began to help out more and more with the family business. After graduation from Kinston High School, he followed what he thought was his dream of teaching Music. He attended Shaw University in Raleigh, NC. During his time there Robbie realized this was not his calling after all. Nevertheless, he stayed and pledged Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Arts 1989-1993.

He then attended Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta, Ga. After completion at Gupton-Jones, he received an Associate of Science in Funeral Service 1994.

In September of 1994, the third generation of the family business was father and son again working side by side mixing the old concepts with the new concepts that has made them one of the elite Family owned funeral business in Kinston.