Tressa A. (Swanson) MARTIN TORKELSON

TORKELSON, SWANSON, TILGHMAN, MARTIN, GLASS, SONNICKSEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/9/2008 at 11:45:32

Tressa A. Torkelson, 37, Topeka, died Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2002, at her home. Mrs. Torkelson taught school at Faith Christian School for two years and the fifth-grade class at Cair Paravel Latin School for the past two years. She was born Dec. 6, 1964, in Salem, Ark., the daughter of David and Joan Tilghman Swanson. She was raised in Alta, Iowa, where she graduated from high school in 1983. She attended Buena Vista College at Storm Lake, Iowa, and Southwest Assembly of God College in Waxahachie, Texas. She moved to Topeka in 1998.

She married John Torkelson on Aug. 10, 1991, in Thor, Iowa. He survives. Other survivors include a daughter, Rochelle Martin, Storm Lake, Iowa; three sons, Nathan Martin, Storm Lake, Iowa, and Caleb Torkelson, and Jonathan Torkelson, both of Topeka; her parents, David and Joan Swanson, Topeka; two brothers, Brent Swanson, Topeka, and Andy Swanson, Des Moines, Iowa; and a sister, Cynthia Glass, Sac City, Iowa.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Faith Family Life Center. Burial will be in Rochester Cemetery. Ms. Torkelson will lie in state after 1 p.m. Sunday at Davidson Funeral Home, where visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Torkelson Children Education Fund and sent in care of Cair Paravel Latin School, 635 S.W. Clay, Topeka, 66606, or sent in care of the funeral home.

Topeka Capital-Journal --- Topeka, Kansas
February 2, 2002

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Tressa A. Torkelson died Wednesday, January 30, 2002, at her home in Topeka, Kan., at the age of 37.

Survivors include her husband, John M. Torkelson, Topeka; one daughter, Rochelle Martin, Storm Lake, Iowa; three sons, Nathan Martin, Storm Lake, Caleb Torkelson, Topeka, and Jonathan Torkelson, Topeka; her parents, David and Joan Swanson, Topeka; mother-in-law, Catherine Sonnicksen, and husband, Ralph, Lehigh, Iowa; father-in-law, Dave Torkelson, and wife, Darlene, Eagle Grove, Iowa; two brothers, Brent Swanson, Topeka, and Andy Swanson, Des Moines, Iowa; and one sister, Cynthia Glass, Sac City, Iowa.

Funeral services were held on Monday, February 4, at 10 a.m., at Faith Family Life Center in Topeka. Burial was held at the Rochester Cemetery.

Tressa A. Swanson was born December 6, 1964, at Salem, Ark., to David and Joan (Tilghman) Swanson. She was raised in Alta, Iowa. She graduated from Alta High School in 1983. She attended Buena Vista College at Storm Lake and Southwest Assembly of God College in Waxahachie, Texas. She married John Torkelson on August 10, 1991, in Thor, Iowa. They have lived in Topeka since 1998. She taught at Faith Christian School two years, and taught 5th grade at Cair Paravel Latin School the past two years in Topeka. Davidson Funeral Home in Topeka was in charge of the arrangements. Memorial contributions may be given to the Torkelson Children Education Fund c/o Cair Paravel Latin School, 635 SW Clay, Topeka, Kansas.

Eagle Grove Eagle --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
Wednesday, February 6, 2002