Miriam H. Swanson

Milford - Miriam H. Swanson passed away peacefully at The Elms Center in Milford on the morning of May 5. She was born Miriam Elaine Hamm on January 9, 1936 in Arlington, Mass., to Plemen C. Hamm and Amy Johnston Hamm. She attended Arlington High School where she was the girls' sports editor for the school newspaper and played on the basketball team. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Bates College in 1957, where she served as associate editor of the college newspaper and was elected to the Bates Key honorary society. She then worked at Harvard University as an assistant to the director of development. In 1958, she married Maynard William ("Bill") Swanson. In the early years of their marriage, Miriam and Bill lived in England, in South Africa, and in New Haven, Conn. Miriam dedicated herself to raising three children and also worked part time for the Connecticut Library Association. After Bill became a professor of history at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1970, Miriam earned her Master's in Educational Administration from Miami. Miriam had a long and varied career. She worked at the United Campus Ministry at Miami University, as the Director of Public Relations for the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio, and as the Director of Marketing for United Savings Association in Cincinnati, Ohio. Subsequently, she was director of information services at AAA Mid-Atlantic States in Philadelphia. When she moved to Nashua, N.H., she worked as the director of Newspapers in Education at the Nashua Telegraph. Miriam was very active in the community. She was a member of the Friends of the Nashua Symphony and while co-president of the FONS she served on the Board of Trustees of the Nashua Symphony. She volunteered at the Nashua Historical Society, taught classes at the Rivier Institute for Senior Education (RISE) at Rivier University, and served on the Board of Trustees of Hesser College. She was appointed by Mayor Streetor to the Cable TV Advisory Board. She was also involved with Bates College alumni activities. One of her friends described her as a "connector" of people and opportunities; "before the internet, you could go to Miriam." In addition to her work and her volunteer activities, Miriam loved to spend time with friends and family. She enjoyed finding new restaurants and sharing them with friends and loved to plan family get-togethers and social events. She was an avid reader all her life, delighting in learning about history, art, politics, and music. Miriam Swanson is survived by her two sons, Charles M. D. Swanson (Suzi) of Cambridgeport, Vt, and Scott M. H. Swanson (Pia Zaslowe) of Peterborough, and her daughter Diana L. Swanson (Carolyn) of Sycamore, Ill; four grandchildren, Hannah Swanson, Alex Swanson, Daniel Swanson, and Julie Swanson; aunt Jean Hayes (Blake) of St. John, NB; and cousins Sandra Gamble of Cambridge, Mass, and Nancy Knox of Halifax, NS. The family express their heartfelt gratitutude to the staff of The Elms Center in Milford, N.H., for their years of loving care of Miriam and to Home Health Care and Hospice of Merrimack, N.H., for their kind assistance to Miriam and her children in the last several months. A memorial service will be announced at a future time. To view an on-line memorial, send a condolence or for more information, go to www.anctil-rochette.com. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Anctil-Rochette & Son Funeral Home, 21 Kinsley St., Nashua. (603) 883-3041