JOHN DALE SWANSON
JOHN DALE SWANSON
LEHIGH — On Dec. 14, 2020, John Dale Swanson, Sr. passed away at the age of 91 of Alzheimer’s dementia complicated by Covid at Gordon Lane Care Center in Fullerton, CA. John was born on Feb. 17, 1929, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Ralph and Bernadine Post Swanson. He grew up in Odebolt, Iowa. He excelled in football and track in high school. He received his BA in Business at the University of Iowa, was a member of Beta Theta Pi serving as president his senior year and completed Air Force ROTC. He served in the US Air Force in the Korean Conflict as a navigator/bombardier and flew 50 combat missions in a B26. While in the service, he married Margaret Alma Shoemaker on Dec. 18, 1954, in New Mexico. His work took them to Peoria, IL; Topeka, KS; Palatine, IL, until he moved his family to the farm in Iowa in 1964. He and his brother, Richard Swanson, successfully farmed until his retirement at 65. He and Maggie retired to Brownsville, Texas. He loved the challenge of farming and introduced no till farming to his peers. He was an avid golfer and Iowa Hawkeye football fan. John always had many friends and enjoyed good conversation. Civic engagement was important to John as a member of the Lehigh Lions, River Days Committee and other local causes. He and Maggie ran an antique shop in Lehigh for many years. John was an expert at furniture restoration. A lifelong Methodist, John served many years on the board at the Lehigh Methodist Church and more recently in Brownsville. He was a member of the Dayton CC in Iowa and VICC in Brownsville, Texas. He relocated to California near Scott and Barb due to declining health desiring to remain in a warmer climate. He lived most recently at Oakmont of Orange but was moved to the Gordon Lane Care Center upon diagnosis of Covid.
He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Swanson, his mother, Bernadine Swanson, and his wife Margaret (Maggie) Swanson. He is survived by his sons: John D. Swanson JR (Jack) and his wife, Suzanne and their children Katherine (Katie) Swanson, her husband Noah Niermann and children Tressa and Eve Niermann, Kurtis and his wife Kimberley Swanson and their daughter, Juniper and Kari Swanson. Scott D. Swanson and his wife Barbara and their children, David and Sarah Swanson. He is also survived by his very special friend, Minerva Lieck of Brownsville, Texas.
The family would like to thank the staff at Oakmont of Orange for the excellent care over the past few years, Seasons Hospice in Orange as well as the Gordon Care Center.
There will be a graveside memorial service on August 27, 2021 at 11 am at West Lawn Cemetery in Lehigh. Rev. Philip Berger will be officiating from the Lehigh Methodist Church. There will be reception to follow at the Central Lodge in Dolliver State Park.