SWANSON, Dorothy Vivian Ostrander (1920-2009)

SWANSON, OSTRANDER, MYHR, KIRKWOLD

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 4/8/2015 at 08:11:59

Dorothy Vivian Swanson
April 7, 1920 - June 25, 2009

On Thursday, June 25, 2009, at the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center, Dorothy Swanson, age 89, left this life on Earth to be with our Heavenly Father in His eternal home.

Dorothy V. Swanson was born on April 7, 1920, on the family farm near Thompson, Iowa, to Earl and Anna (Myhr) Ostrander. She graduated from Buffalo Center High School in 1937. Then, she attended Iowa State University before teaching school for several years.

On February 10, 1943, she married Wallace Swanson. They started farming in 1943 on land rented from Nels Swanson. In 1949, they began building their own homestead in Grant Township. They farmed there until Wallace retired. They were married for fifty-seven years before Wallace died in July, 2000.

Dorothy worked alongside Wallace on the farm, and together they raised five children. In addition, her church, the 4-H Club, and the Eastern Star all played major roles in her life. She was a lifelong member of the Buffalo Center United Methodist Church. A longtime leader of the Grant Gleaners 4-H Club, she served as the Iowa State 4-H President in 1938, and in 2002, she was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. A fifty year member of the Eastern Star Rainbow Chapter of Buffalo Center and the Algona Star Chapter #68, she served as the Grand Warden of the Iowa Order of the Eastern Star. In 1979, she was selected as the Wallaces' Farmers magazine Master Farm Homemaker.

Every year, Dorothy made Christmas ornaments for each of her grandchildren. Moreover, she loved woodworking, especially making pins, which she either sold and gave away around the state. In addition, she enjoyed fishing, gardening, baking, sewing, and reading.

She always had time for her family and their activities. She, also, treasured spending time with her friends at the Birthday Club and having afternoon tea with neighbors.

Those thankful for sharing her life include her five children: Duane, and his wife, Deanna, of Pine Island, Minnesota, Butch, and his wife, Roz, of Buffalo Center, Brian, and his wife, Kristie, of Slater, Iowa, Ron, and his wife, Eloise, of Grundy Center, Iowa, and Cindy Kirkwold, and her husband, John, of Champlin, Minnesota; her seventeen grandchildren: Dan, Dawn, Dione, David, Doug, Wendy, Brad, Rebecca, Noelle, Rachel, Abigail, Faith, Philip, Jaren, Greg, Ben, and Nate; and her fourteen great-grandchildren; her brothers: Les Ostrander; Grant Ostrander, and his wife, Barb, and Ray Ostrander, and his wife, Nancy; as well as many nieces and nephews, all who will remember her for her many talents and cheerful smile.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wallace, her parents and a brother, Floyd Ostrander.

Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 29, 2009, at the United Methodist Church in Buffalo Center with the Rev. William Peake officiating. Jan Missman was organist with special music by Dorothy's granddaughters, Rebecca, Rachel, Abigail, Faith, and Noelle, violinists, and her grandson, Ben, cellist. Casketbearers were: David, Philip, Daniel, Doug, Jared, Brad. and Gregory Swanson; and Ben and Nate Kirkwold. Burial was at Olena Mound Cemetery in Buffalo Center.

Buffalo Center Tribune, July 1, 2009.

There is a memorial for her at Find A Grave # 126354936.