David W. Svenson (1938-2021)

SVENSON BARTH, WEFLEN, O’NEILL

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 9/22/2021 at 08:58:58

DAVID W. SVENSON

Decorah

David W. Svenson, 83, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, at Aase Haugen Senior Services following a three-year illness. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, at First Lutheran Church in Decorah with the Rev. Dennis Niezwaag officiating. Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah. Visitation will be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and at 10 a.m. Thursday at the church.

David Wayne Svenson was born July 27, 1938, the son of Sverre and Marie (Weflen) Svenson in Decorah, Iowa. He graduated from Decorah High School with the Class of 1958. He married Donna Rae Barth on Sept. 12, 1959, at First Lutheran Church in Decorah. They enjoyed 56 years of marriage. They were blessed with two children, Yvonne and Scott.

David attended Luther College, where he played football for one year. He was in the construction trade. where he worked for and later was a co-owner of Sverre Svenson and Sons Construction for many years.

He served as a volunteer firefighter for 29 years with the Decorah Fire Department and was a member of First Lutheran Church and the Elks Lodge in Decorah. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends along with time at the cabin in Lansing fishing on the Mississippi River. He also loved playing cards every morning at the fire station and watching his favorite sports teams, the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna, on Sept. 16, 2015; his parents, Sverre and Marie Svenson; his brother and sister-in-law, Gary and DiAnn Svenson; one brother in infancy; his sister-in-law, Sally Svenson; and father- and mother-in-law, Edgar and Margaret Barth.

David is survived by his daughter, Yvonne (John) O'Neill of North Liberty, Iowa; his son, Scott (Martha) Svenson of Hiawatha, Iowa; his grandchildren, Andrew (Lizzie) O'Neill of Iowa City, Iowa, Trevor (Taylor) O'Neill of North Liberty, Iowa, Justin Svenson of Dubuque, Iowa, and Joshua Svenson of Marion, Iowa; his great-grandchildren, Mila and Asher O'Neill of Iowa City, Iowa; his brothers, Carl (Vikki) Svenson and Richard (Linda) Svenson, all of Decorah; and by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Decorah Fire Department, 400 Claiborne Dr., Unit 1, Decorah, IA 52101 or the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center, 1944 Columbus Rd., Lansing, IA 52151.

Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at www.fjelstul.com.