Virgil D. "Swaney" SWANSON

Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-grandfather Virgil Dudley Swanson, age 95 died peacefully on September 15, 2012 in St. Paul, MN. Swaney was born in 1917 to Bennie and Lilie Swanson in Sibley County, MN. He grew up in Lafayette, Gibbon and Winthrop and attended Gustavus Adolphus College. He had various jobs including his popcorn wagon until he opened a restaurant in Gibbon, MN where he met his future bride, Patricia, at Swaney's Café. They married in De Graff, MN on Oct. 4, 1941. He served in the Army Air Corp during WWII. He started V-K Wholesale in St. Paul in 1951, the same year they bought a home in W. St. Paul and joined St. Joseph Church. When he retired at age 55, Pat and Swaney enjoyed 40 years of retirement together. They traveled to Canada, Mexico and wintered for 35 years on South Padre Island, Texas. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with family and friends in fall 2011. Swaney was an avid hunter, fisherman, skeet shooter, gardener and gladiolus grower. Swaney was preceded in death by his wife, one sister Marlys Lofgren, five brothers-in-law Lloyd Lofgren, Dr. James Kelly, Francis Kelly, Dr. Robert Kelly and Vince Stadtherr; and four sisters-in-law, Dr. Helen Kelly, Grace Kelly, Emilie "Dot" Kelly, and Lucile Kelly. Survived by one son, Donald Swanson (special friend, Pat) of W. St. Paul, MN; two daughters, Jean Coppock of El Cerrito, CA, Carol Bannen (John ) of Wauwatosa, WI; six grandchildren, Dr. Gloria Swanson of Minneapolis, MN, Christine Swanson of Mendota Heights, MN, Dr. Ryan Bannen (Sarah) of Madison WI, Kelly Bannen Rauch (Paul) of Pewaukee, WI, Laura Swanson of St. Paul, MN and Erin Bannen of Austin, TX; four great-grandchildren, Colin and Angela Bannen and Kiera and Benjamin Rauch; sisters-in-law Bernice Stadherr of Austin, MN, Donna Kelly of Grand Rapids, MN and June Kelly of Edina, MN; one brother-in-law, Hubert Kelly of St. Michael, MN. Swaney will be missed greatly by his family and friends. Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 18 from 5-8PM at West Funeral Home, 1051 South Robert St. in West St. Paul, MN. Visitation will continue at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 1154 Seminole Avenue in W. St. Paul, MN on Wednesday, September 19 at 10AM until the 11AM Mass of Christian Burial. Memorials to St. Joseph's School Education Fund, W. St. Paul, MN. 651-457-6200