Ruth Ann Swanson

OREGON - Ruth Ann Swanson, age 90, passed away on Monday, March 2, 2020, at East Castle Place in Milwaukee, WI. She was born in Janesville, WI on Aug. 21, 1929, the only child of Charles Joseph and Grace Emma (Wesenberg) Butler. The young family survived the years of the Great Depression with Charles working as a laborer and farmer in and around Janesville. When Ruth was nine years old her mother Grace became ill with cancer and died Oct. 11, 1938. Her mother’s illness and early death profoundly impacted Ruth’s life. She developed a passion for medicine and nursing along with a strong faith which sustained her throughout life. She graduated from Mercy School of Nursing as a Registered Nurse in Janesville, WI in 1952. Ruth married her loving husband, Paul Gabriel Swanson on Jan. 23, 1954. They were married 57 years, living first in Janesville and then moving to Oregon, WI in 1966. With their five children now school age, Ruth returned to nursing at the Oregon Clinic working with Drs. Kellogg and Dukerschein. She retired from the clinic in 1987. Ruth was an active disciple of St. John's Lutheran Church, serving on the church council and volunteering where needed. She was active within the Oregon community primarily in healthcare and senior advocacy. In 1970, she was part of the working group made up of Oregon’s four main churches to develop a plan for senior housing and the first building, Genesis I, was dedicated in April of 1972. In 1980, Village Board president Norm Champion asked Ruth to join an effort to address the growing needs of seniors and they formed the Oregon Area Council on Aging and established the Oregon Senior Center. Ruth served on the Board of the Senior Center until 2017. Ruth was a strong advocate for seniors throughout Dane County and the State of Wisconsin. On Sept. 21, 2000, she received the Volunteer Recognition Award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging for “Outstanding Contribution to Reducing Fraud, Waste and Abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid Programs.” Ruth traveled with her husband Paul, daughter Grace and granddaughter Julia (who followed in her grandmother’s footsteps to become a nurse) to Washington, D.C. to accept the award. She loved being a wife and mother and cherished the time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ruth enjoyed time spent at home with Paul and did her best to supervise him through many remodeling and construction projects. She also enjoyed crocheting, making strawberry freezer jam in June and preparing lefse for the holidays. Ruth is survived by daughter-in-law, Jane Swanson; daughter, Grace (Mark) Thomsen; sons, Eric (La Vonne Cornell-) Swanson, Edward (Melissa) Swanson, and Kyle (Darlene) Swanson; grandchildren, Sonja Thomsen-Oulahan, Justin Swanson, Julia Hess, Jordan Swanson, Hallie Swanson, Reid Swanson, Paul Swanson, Megan Swanson, Joelle DeMeyer, Rachel Jensen, Brekken Swanson, Nathan Swanson, Jaimee Swanson and Ryan Swanson; great-grandchildren, Maxwell, Evan, Liam, Orjan, Declan, Griffin, Sienna, Meilah, Wrenley, Charlie, Aiden, Ruth, Maddax, Aurora, Laken, Calvin and Clementine; and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Swanson; oldest son, John Swanson; and grandsons, Jens Thomsen and Jared Swanson. Memorials may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church. A funeral service will be held St. John's Lutheran Church, 625 E. Netherwood St., Oregon, at 1 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. Due to COVID 19 guidelines, only 50 people are allowed at the service. Please contact St. John's Lutheran Church to pre-register. A private family burial was held. Please visit www.gundersonfh.com. to share your online condolences with Ruth’s family. Gunderson Oregon Funeral & Cremation Care 1150 Park Street (608) 835-3515