Obituary of Elaine R. Swanson

Elaine R. Swanson, 89, of 136 Aldren Ave. passed away at noon Saturday (April 2, 2011) in W.C.A. Hospital. A Jamestown area resident since 1965, when her husband Rev. Harry V. Swanson became the Superintendent of the Great Lakes Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church. She was born August 4, 1921 in Chicago, IL a daughter of the late Carl John and Alice Lundstedt Ringbloom. Elaine was a graduate of the Calumet High School in Chicago and earned her Associates Degree from North Park College. In earlier years she was employed by the Yankee Trails Girl Scout Council in Farmington, CT. She was very active in her husband's ministry serving the First Covenant Church, Rockford, IL, the Paxton Covenant Church in Paxton, IL, the New Britain Covenant Church in New Britain, CT before moving to Jamestown in 1965. She was a member the First Covenant Church in Jamestown and also a former member of the Green Thumb Garden Club and the Mozart Club. Surviving are a daughter Kari S. (John) Wiese of Dublin, OH, a son Dr. J. Craig (Lynn) Swanson of Saunderstown, RI, five grandchildren Dara (Jay) Clough of North Kingston, RI, Jaime Swanson of Hoboken, NJ, Gretchen (Todd) DeFrancesca of Richmond, VA, Allison Wiese of Boston, MA, Libby Wiese of Medford, MA and two great grandsons Owen and Sam DeFrancesca of Richmond, VA. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Rev. Harry V. Swanson whom she married May 27, 1944 in the Ogden Park Covenant Church Chicago, IL and who died April 27, 2000 and a sister Evelyn Edfeldt. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday in the First Covenant Church. The Rev. Adam Rohler, pastor and the Rev. Daniel S. Rumfelt, chaplain of the Lutheran Home and Rehabilitation Center will officiate. Burial will be in the Lake View Cemetery. Visitation will not be observed. The family suggests that memorials may be made to the First Covenant Church, 520 Spring St. Jamestown, NY 14701 or to Camp Mission Meadows, 5201 Rt. 430, Dewittville, NY 14728 .