Donald Jerome Swanson, 95, of Minnetonka, Roseville, Minneapolis, Ortonville, the North Shore, the lakes and streams of the north, and the back roads, parks, and small towns of North America, died at home with family on January 29, 2018. He was a husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, friend, honest broker and trusted colleague in business civic and social causes, horticulturalist, fisherman, committed conservationist and devoted caregiver.
Through example rather than word he instilled the importance of hard work, high standards, personal responsibility, stewardship, philanthropy, social justice and not spending money you don’t have. A lover and supporter of visual and performing arts, music, literature, history, and travel, he loved to be with friends and family, gardening, good food, and catching fish. He loved to catch fish.
Don was born in Ortonville, Minn. on January 8, 1923. Graduating with honors from the University of Minnesota with a degree in agricultural economics and animal husbandry, he was an active, lifelong member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, and lifelong supporter and advocate of the University of Minnesota and its mission.
He served as a staff sergeant in the Army Veterinary Services during World War II and, subsequently, started Bloomfield-Swanson Inc. representing Feed Nutrient Manufacturers to clients in the Upper Midwest, and served as a president of the Northwest Feed Manufacturers Association. A vigorous advocate of the YMCA, he served as chairman of the Minnetonka & West Suburban YMCA, Metropolitan YMCA board of governors, and received the YMCA Red Triangle Award in recognition of his leadership in bringing the YMCA to Minnetonka.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Selma; his sisters Jean (Mac) McFarlane, Dorothy and Doris Swanson; son Drew Swanson and daughter Chris Zerby; and niece Patti (McFarlane) Botes.
He is survived by his loving wife of 72 years, Wildie (Greenwood); sister Charlotte Amann; daughters Cheryl (Daniel) Fitzgerald and Joanne Swanson; sons Lee Swanson and Kent (JoAnn Peters) Swanson; grandchildren Sean (Kim Good) Fitzgerald and Zack DeLuca; great-grandchildren Livia, William and Jack Fitzgerald, and Hadley Aponte-Good; nephews Jeff McFarlane and Stuart Amann; and cousin Tom (Nancy) Weisbrod.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the Nature Conservancy, nature.org.
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