Miriam Swallen (Arnold) Washburn

Miriam Arnold Swallen Washburn, loving wife, mother, grandmother, Diva and our personal fashionista, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 8, 2019 in the presence of her family at Windsor Medical Center.  She was a native of Canton and was preceded in death by her parents, A. Ralph and Dora Morris (Arnold), and her first husband, Robert E. Swallen, who practiced law in Canton.  Miriam was a graduate of McKinley High School and attended Oberlin College where she studied music.  She worked in Cleveland while her husband finished law school and upon returning to Canton she became active in various community activities and her church, First Christian of Canton, where she had been a soloist in the choir and assisted her husband in teaching the “Christian Co-wed” class for young married couples.  She held memberships in Junior Woman’s Club, Junior Civic Club, Sans Social Garden Club, Stark County Lawyers’ Wives and Brookside Country Club.    She was active in the United Fund serving as Chairwoman of the Woman’s Division in 1957.  She leaves behind twin sons, Thomas (Joanna) and Timothy (Sherrie), and a daughter Anita Price (Sam).  She was involved in volunteer work at Aultman Hospital and was a member of the Woman’s Board.  As a music lover she was a supporter of the Canton Symphony Orchestra and introduced her family to many years enjoying Chautauqua Lake as life-long Chautauquans.  Miriam became a realtor in 1974 and was active with the Cutler Agency.  After Robert’s death she married Paul Washburn of Aurora, also a Chautauquan.  They resided together in North Canton until his death in 2002.  She was also preceded in death by her brother Wayne Arnold, sister-in-law Mildred Stebbins Arnold, nephew Phillip Arnold and nieces Beverly and Lynn Swallen.  As well as her children, Miriam is survived by nieces and nephews, Wayne E. S. Arnold, William Arnold, Jeff Arnold and Jane Arnold Riser, sister-in-law Marie Arnold, brother and sister-in-law, Jay and Barbara Swallen, nieces and nephews, Scott Swallen, Julie Swallen Hubble and John Paul Swallen, 8 grandchildren, Seth and Deone Swallen, Betsy and Rob Adamson, Jessica and Jennings Smith, Ian and Lara Swallen, Ryan and Brooke Swallen, Alexandra and Andrew Doggett, Samuel Price and Molly Price, and 12 great grandchildren. 

Friends and family will be received at Arnold Funeral Home of North Canton 4817 Cleveland Ave. NW on Monday, December 16, 2019 from 4-7 p.m.  A private burial to follow with a memorial service to be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Samaritan’s Purse PO BOX 3000 Boone, NC 28607 or Samaritanspurse.org. You may sign the guest book at: arnoldfuneralhome.com

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