Swenson, Oswald Earl (1922-2013)

SWENSON, CHARLSON, GABBAY, BRUE, LUFF, OTTJES

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 4/3/2013 at 19:16:18

Oswald "Ozzie" Earl Swenson
(February 15, 1922 - March 10, 2013)

Oswald “Ozzie” E. Swenson, age 91, of Lake Mills, died on Sunday, March 10, 2013, at the Lake Mills Care Center in Lake Mills, Iowa.

The second of seven children and the first boy, Oswald Earl Swenson was born on February 15, 1922, to Gilbert and Ellen (Charlson) Swenson on the family farm between Leland and Lake Mills, Iowa.

After graduating from Lake Mills High School in 1940, he helped on the farm and then enlisted in the Navy in 1942 when World War II started. First based in New York, he was later assigned to Key West, Florida. After his discharge in December, 1945, he helped on the family farm until starting college in the fall of 1946.

He attended one year at Iowa State, then transferred to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, graduating in 1951 with a major in physics.

His first job was in Monona, Iowa, teaching math and science for one year. Next he worked at Boeing in Seattle, Washington, as an engineer. Later, he moved to Lockheed at Burbank, California, for five years as a flight test engineer. From there, he moved on to work for Ford Aerospace and finally to NASA’s Aeromechanics Lab at the Ames Research Center from which he retired at the age of 70.

Oswald married Amy Gabbay in May, 1963. Animal lovers, Ozzie and Amy had many spoiled dogs as pets through the years. Ozzie also had a love for farming and always had plants around his home and work area. He and Amy also loved to travel and took many trips to thirty-four countries, including Norway, Switzerland, and Israel. Always very generous with gifts, he had a great love for his family and friends. His family looked forward to his annual fruitcakes at Christmas.

Ozzie and Amy moved from California to the Lake Mills Care Center in October of 2011 where they enjoyed living much closer to family.

Amy died on July 20, 2012, at the Lake Mills Care Center.

Survivors include his sisters, Rhoda Brue and Marie Luff; his sisters-in-law, Marlys Swenson and Mary Swenson; and his brothers-in-law, Arnold Ottjes, Don Luff, Jacob Gabbay, and Oved Gabbay; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Amy; his sister, Millie Ottjes; his brothers, Gordon Swenson, Wallace Swenson and infant James Richard; a brother-in-law, Charles Brue; and a nephew, Mark Ottjes.

Funeral services for Oswald Swenson will be held at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills with Pastor David E. Jordon officiating. Burial will be in Salem Memorial Cemetery, rural Lake Mills, with military honors conducted by the Otto Chose Post #235. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday.

Copyright © 2013, Mittelstadt Funeral Home

Mittelstadt Funeral Home
 

Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen