Bolding Memorial Rose Garden Honors Samford Arts Benefactor's Mother

A dedication ceremony for the new Gertha Itasca Earwood Bolding Memorial Rose Garden, a gift of Samford alumna and benefactor Bonnie Bolding Swearingen in memory of her mother, took place May 8 in the garden.

The rose garden, featuring a variety of roses, trees, a fountain, seating areas, and brick and stone walkways, is located adjacent to the entrance to Bonnie Bolding Swearingen Hall, named for Mrs. Swearingen in 2006 in gratitude for her generous support of Samford arts, scholarship, and the renovation of the building that houses Harrison Theatre and Bolding Studio.

The ceremony opened with a prayer by School of the Arts Dean Joseph Hopkins and remarks by Samford President Andrew Westmoreland. Mrs. Swearingen's sister, Margie Bolding, read aloud a fond description of their mother that she had written. "The rose, [my mother's] favorite flower, was her metaphor for life. She appreciated its beauty and understood its thorn. I'm sure my mother's humble prayer would be a wish for all who walk by the...garden to stop and smell the roses," she said.

Mrs. Swearingen then addressed the audience, speaking of her love of her alma mater and gratitude for the opportunities it provided her. She said that she won a scholarship to Samford (then Howard College) through the Miss Alabama Pageant, and that she thanks God for it every day. She said, "I love every blade of grass on this campus and have since the day I arrived," encouraging those in attendance to beautify the campus by planting roses in memory of their loved ones, as well.

A participant in Howard College theatre productions as an undergraduate, Mrs. Swearingen went on to a successful Hollywood acting career, earning several roles in television and film. She married John Swearingen, former chief executive officer of Standard Oil Indiana (now BP-Amoco Corporation) and became an active supporter of the arts in Chicago, where they resided.

The ceremony closed with a Samford student presentation of Feliciana Feydra LeRoux, a play written by Samford theatre professor Dr. Don Sandley based on the book by Tynia Thomassie, with music by Samford alumnus Matt Godfrey.

View photos from the ceremony on Flickr.