Elvin C. Swanson

Private family services only will be held.

Elvin C. Swanson, the son of Nels and Christine Swanson, was born October 23, 1916, in Swaledale, Iowa. He passed away Friday, August 1, 2008, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, at the age of 91.

He graduated from Swea City High School. Elvin served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. He was a 1st Lieutenant and a B-17 pilot attached to the 94th Bomb Group. Elvin flew 35 missions during the war and flew out of Opswitch, England. He was awarded an Air Medal with 4 Oak Clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Following his honorable discharge from military service, Elvin returned to the Swea City area to make his home. On February 19, 1949, he was united in marriage to Fern Olthoff at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. After their marriage the couple made their home in rural Swea City where they were engaged in farming, Elvin retired from farming in 1985.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Armstrong. Elvin also was a member of American Legion Post 14 and he was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.

Left to cherish Elvins memory are his wife of 59 years, Fern of Swea City; sister, Donna Joanne Sanftner of Bloomington, Minnesota; brother, Harold Swanson and his wife, Genese of Armstrong, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Faye Sachs of Oelwein, Iowa; Eunice Olthoff of Buffalo Center, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding Elvin in death were his parents and sister, Meta Mae Heaton.