Swanson, Rollin Dean

SWANSON, CARTER, STEPANEK, SCOTT, NEUMANN

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 5/28/2013 at 23:34:14

Rollin ‘Rollie” Dean Swanson died on Feb. 8, 2009, at age 80 at his home in
Naples. Fla. where he was a seasonal resident.

He was born in rural Cerro Gordo County, Iowa on Jan. 25, 1929, the son of
Frank and Nellie (Carter) Swanson. He grew up in Clear Lake where he achieved
his Eagle Scout ranking in scouting and was in the 1947 graduating class of
Clear Lake High School. He graduated from the University of Iowa where he
received a BS degree and later a physical therapy certificate. He served in the
US Army from 1947 - 1948 and again in 1958 - 1959 where he achieved his Jump
Master rating.

Rollie lived 26 years in Fort Wayne, Ind. where he worked as a physical
therapist with a group of orthopedic surgeons and at one time had a physical
therapy corporation. He was a private pilot and a real estate broker. After
retiring in 1987 he moved to Syracuse, Ind. where he was a resident until the
time of his death.

From the time of his early days in Clear Lake he had a life-long love of
the water and enjoyed sailing, boating and taking in the view, whether it was
from the deck at Lake Wawasee in Indiana or Venetian Bay in Naples. He also
enjoyed traveling, golfing, watching University of Iowa sports, playing bridge,
dancing, laughing, and watching the birds at his feeders. Rollie was a good
friend to those he had known all his life as well as to new friends and
neighbors. It gave him pleasure to give joy to others and to help them out.
However, nothing gave him more joy than spending time with his children and
getting hugs and kisses from his grandchildren. He was a person who always saw
the glass as more than half full.

He was active in Promise Keepers, his church, and the Character City
organization. He was a member of St. Andrews UMC in Syracuse, the Naples
Sailing and Yacht Club, Wawasee Property Owners Association and the Wawasee Area
Conservancy.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Karen Stepanek Swanson; his
daughters, Lorrie Watkins of Payne, Ohio and her daughter, Chelsea, Holly Gordy
of Fort Wayne, Ind. and her son, Joshua and daughter, Janelle, Corrine Boncek
and her husband, Dave, and their daughters, Ellyn and Mariah of Fishers, Ind.;
his son, Paul Carter Swanson and his wife, Karen (Zoeller) of Nashotah, Wis. and
their daughters, Grace and Sonia and son, Calvin. He is also survived by his
brother, Don Swanson and his wife, Dorothy, of Golden, Colo. and his sister,
Joan (Swanson) Scott of Houston, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Frank; and a sister,
Pauline Neumann.

There will be a celebration of life ceremony in May at St. Andrews’s UMC in
Syracuse.

Rollie can be remembered by giving to the Alzheimer’s Association at
www.alz.org where a memorial fund has been created.