Marilyn Joan Swanson

Marilyn Joan Swanson, 84, of Crooks passed away Saturday, July 21, 2018 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 AM Thursday, July 26, 2018 at West Nidaros Lutheran Church, rural Crooks, SD. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, July 25, 2018 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at West Nidaros Lutheran Church.

Marilyn Joan Brendsel Swanson was born to Lars and Mabel (Gunderson) Brendsel at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D. on October 17, 1933.  Lars paid for her delivery with $10 and a heifer calf.  She attended grades 1-8 at Excelsior District 41 grade school (otherwise known as the Trobak School) which still stands on the farmstead where she lived for 55 years.  After graduating from Lyons High School in 1951, she attended Nettleton College where she learned secretarial skills including typing and shorthand.

After working as a secretary for National Reserve Life Insurance and John Morrell & Co. for 2 years, Marilyn married Verne L. Swanson on June 2, 1954 and began raising their family on a farm near Lyons, S.D.  Despite living in a dilapidated shack, raising 4 children while Verne farmed and went to school, Marilyn considered these some of the best years of her life.  In 1963 her family moved to a farmstead near Crooks, S.D. where she and Verne completed their family nearly 2 decades later with the birth of their 2 youngest daughters.  She enjoyed a long and joyous marriage of 52 years to Verne, whom she often talked about and missed dearly after his passing.

Marilyn excelled in music, learning to play the piano and organ at a young age, accompanying the school chorus, and singing in the West Nidaros choir.  She had a beautiful singing voice and could play the piano by ear.  Her children have fond memories of her singing and playing beautiful and flawless classical piano as they were falling asleep at night.  She also believed in the importance of education, manners, and culture for her children and grandchildren, encouraging them to pursue higher education, music lessons, and the performing arts.

Raising 6 children kept Marilyn busy as a mother and homemaker.  As her children reached adulthood and began raising their own families, Marilyn’s focus became her grandchildren.  She had a natural motherly instinct, the ability to calm and comfort, and welcomed their presence and company.  She wanted her grandchildren to experience things she was unable to as a child, traveling with them to New York City often so that they could experience such things as the Macy’s Day Parade, the Radio City Rockettes, and numerous Broadway musicals.  Her children loved her, and her grandchildren adored her, calling or visiting her almost daily.

Marilyn will be remembered for her caring heart, calm demeanor, eternal optimism, and nonjudgmental spirit.   Her dry wit was heard in some of her sayings, including “If it’s not chickens, it’s feathers” and “It’s enough to make a saint swear!”  She had an unwavering faith in God and often spoke of Verne watching over her family from heaven; she missed him dearly and looked forward to being with him again.

Left to cherish her memory are her 6 children; Tanna Swanson, Dell Rapids, Sonja Swanson (Richard Peasley), Elk Point, Todd Swanson, Las Vegas/Denver, Scott Swanson (Kris), Crooks, Kara Swanson (Tom Wenzel), Baltic and Laura Weinacht (Chad), Colton; 16 grandchildren; Sara (Peasley) Schuler (Ian), Annie Peasley, Taylor, Adam, Kelsey and Audrey Swanson, Olivia (Swanson) Amundson (Ethan), Levi and Lane Swanson, Megan, Madelyn, Emily, and Lily Wenzel, Allison, Lucas and Abbie Weinacht; great-grandchildren, Augustus (Gus) and Walter Amundson; brother, Leland (Diane) Brendsel; sister-in-law, Marjorie (Swanson) Bergeland and her husband, Dan and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, Lars and Mabel Brendsel; sister and brother-in-law: Margaret (Brendsel) and Rod Bailey; and husband, Verne.