SWENSON, Jean Marie

Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona Published Thursday, April 16, 2009 Jean Marie Swenson passed away Tuesday, April 8, 2009. She died peacefully at her home. She was born in Kenosha, Wis., to David and Mabel Rolfs Higgens, July 28, 1926. She had one older brother, Vern. She was married to Harry Nels Swenson for 48 years, who preceded her in death on April 29, 1999. In the late 1940s Jean was a featured skater in Kenosha’s “Skating Follies,” and traveled with the troupe to Europe. In addition to being a mother, wife and homemaker, Jean was an art teacher, and held multiple degrees, in art education and art history, from Sheboygan County Teachers College, and Lakeland College (where she was on the Dean’s List), in Sheboygan, Wis. She was also earlier awarded a diploma from Ricardo Beauty School in Denver, Colo. Jean retired as a teacher and moved with her husband Harry to Lake Havasu City in 1994. She remained quite active as an artist, and was a longtime member of the Havasu Art Guild, where she held many positions, most recently as first vice president; she was a dedicated advocate for the guild’s scholarship program. She was also involved with Havasu’s Allied Arts Council. She participated in TOPS, where she made many friends. She painted at the Senior Center in Lake Havasu weekly with many of her artist friends. And she was an active member of First Church of Christ-Scientist in Lake Havasu City. Throughout her life she offered her time and talents to a variety of community organizations in the many places she lived. In addition to her dedication to her art, her church and her three children and their families, Jean was a devoted traveler. A partial list of places she visited in recent years includes South America, China, New Zealand, Tahiti and France, where she first fell in love with its art as a young skater. She also cherished the memories of earlier family trips to England, Scotland, Portugal, Greece and Costa Rica, as well as innumerable places across the U.S. and many other European countries. Jean Swenson was a warm-hearted, generous and spiritual woman, whose sense of humor allowed her to be very trusting in herself, and we with her. She is survived by her three children; Sarah Jean Pierce (husband Andrew), of Santa Monica, Calif.; son, Harry Nels Swenson, III (wife Dolores), of Hustisford, Wis.; and James David Swenson (wife Arleen), of Pomona, Calif.; grandchildren, Michelle Vickers (husband Mike), Amy Fraser (husband Jansen), Ryan Swenson and Kirsten Swenson; and great-grandchildren Ethan Vickers, Ross Fraser, Evan Fraser, Jonah Vickers and Boe Fraser. A memorial service is scheduled for Friday at noon, at Lamb of God Lutheran Church, 2791 Inca Drive, Lake Havasu City, with a luncheon and remembrances immediately to follow. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Havasu Art Guild, Jean Swenson Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 175, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86405-0175; or to First Church of Christ-Scientist c/o Jane Wynkoop, 225 S. Acoma Blvd., Lake Havasu City, AZ 86406.