Dorothy Swenson

Dorothy Jean Swenson passed away peacefully April 16, 2020 at Hills Crossing Senior Living in Nisswa, Minnesota. A celebration of Dorothy’s life will be scheduled at a later date when we can all gather together.

Dorothy Jean Baldner was born December 14, 1925, in Austin, Minnesota, to Roy and Clara (King) Baldner. She attended Shaw School and graduated from Austin High School in 1944. A highlight for Dorothy and her family was that she was elected homecoming queen in her senior year of high school. Following high school, she worked in Washington, DC in the Navy Department office for 1 year during WWII. She then returned to Austin and worked at Hormel in the Night Invoice Department, where she met James E. Swenson. On February 8, 1947, they were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Austin. They were blessed with three children; Jeff, Jerry, and Kathy. Dorothy enjoyed her role as wife, mother, and homemaker, where she loved her garden. Dorothy was a volunteer for the Red Cross for 30 years as a hospital Grey Lady, was active in the Holy Cross Lutheran Church activities, Cub Scouts, Brownies, March of Dimes, and developed a true passion for the game of golf. In 1971, she made a hole in one at the Austin Country Club, a highlight of her golf experience.

Over Dorothy’s 94 years, she was always very positive, well liked by friends and neighbors, and loved by her family. She will be dearly missed by many.

Dorothy is survived by son Jeff and Jean Swenson, of Pequot Lakes, MN, their four children, Jon, Chris, Peter and Emily, and six great grandchildren; son Jerry and Connie Swenson, of Cleveland, Tennessee, their four children, Calen, Kevin, Callie and Kyle, and four great grandchildren; daughter Kathy and Marlin Sanvick, of Wyoming, Minnesota, and their two children, David and Marla; sisters, Darlene Trimble, of Austin, Janice Christiansen, of Buffalo, Diane Haseth, of Austin, Jewel Weeks, of Austin; brother, John (Linda) Baldner, of Tempe, Arizona.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Clara Baldner, Helen Baldner, husband, Jim Swenson; mother-in-law Wilma Swenson; sisters Marion Larson, Shirley Wherry, Marcella Meeker; brother, Donald Baldner, and brothers-in-law, Ed Haseth, Myron Meeker, Darrell “Mick” Wherry, Lynn “Bud” Larson, Harold Trimble, and Jim Christiansen.