Kenneth SWENDSON

SWENDSON, ORSLAND, RICE, DIGGINS, ANDERSON, JOHNSON, STENSLAND, HELGEVOLD, BLISS, GRAY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/25/2016 at 21:35:22

February 7, 1916 --- December 27, 2003

Kenneth Swendson, 87, of Eagle Grove, died December 27, 2003, in Marshalltown. Funeral services will be held today, Wednesday, December 31, 2003, at 1:30 p.m. at the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Eagle Grove. Visitation was held on Tuesday, December 30, 2003, from 4-7 p.m. at the Foust Funeral Home in Eagle Grove.

Kenneth Swendson was born February 7, 1916 on the family farm near Thor, the son of Gunvald and Tillie (Orsland) Swendson. He was raised and educated in the area of his birth. He was working as a farmhand by the age of 12. On April 5, 1942, Kenneth married Olive K. Rice of Eagle Grove in Van Nuys, California, after seven years of dating. They returned to Eagle Grove and Kenneth joined the Army Air Corps, serving as flight engineer and mechanic during World War II from November 1942 to February 1946. Following the service, Kenneth worked as a welder for Joe Gearhart in Eagle Grove. He also worked as a mechanic for Rengsdorf and Klassie Farm Implement and then Umthun Trucking for over 25 years. Kenneth was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, where he once served as an usher and was part of the Fellowship Club. He was also a member of I.O.O.F. His hobbies included fishing, playing cards, and spending time with family and friends.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Olive K. Swendson of Eagle Grove; a daughter, Marilyn Diggins and her husband, Pete, of Marshalltown; two grandchildren: Kenny Diggins and his wife, Mandy, of Marshalltown; and Kristense Diggins, of Marshalltown; three sisters: Harriett Anderson of Webster City; Thelma Johnson of Anaheim, Calif.; and Marietta Swendson of Fairfield, Calif.; two sisters-in-laws and their families: Gloria (LeRoyn) Stensland of Thor and Arliss (Howard) Helgevold of Eagle Grove and his extended family; Ronald and Marlyta Bliss of Eagle Grove and Alan and Lavon Gray of Blue Grass. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Kenneth Jr.; a grandson, Mark Allen, and a brother, Gerald. Foust Funeral Home in Eagle Grove was in charge of the arrangements.

Eagle Grove Eagle - Iowa
December 31, 2003