Photo courtesy of Hawthorne Funeral Home - Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, Washington
Sep 13, 1936 – Oct 21, 2025
Rita L Swanberg joined her husband Alan and her parents, Leonard and Henrietta Mahn, in heaven October 21, 2025. She passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones. She is survived by daughter Krista (Derek) Klett, sister Carolyn Krohn, three nieces, and one nephew.
Born in Maynard, MN in 1936, Rita moved to Washington with her family in 1948. Rita attended Mt. Vernon High School, Oregon State University, and Western Washington University. Upon graduation, Burlington and Anacortes Schools employed Rita as a classroom teacher, and she became an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Mt. Vernon.
In June 1958, Rita married Alan Swanberg, and they were together for over 60 years. They spent 50 of those years at Lake Whatcom where they enjoyed waterskiing and hosting picnics. They loved camping at the ocean beaches many times a year.
Rita’s remains will be interred with Alan’s at Hawthorne Lawn in Mt Vernon. No services are planned at this time. Memorials may be designated to a charity such as Hospice of the Northwest.
My family were neighbors at Lake Whatcom from 1958 to 1970. Rita and Al taught me to water ski with their Skipper Craft and Aristo Craft boats. Wonderful neighbors. Sold our property to relatives so we still were lucky see Rita occasionally.
Jeffrey Kiefer
November 08, 2025 | Bellingham, WA | Neighbor
Mrs. Swanberg was my 8th grade Home Room teacher at Lucille Umbarger School in Burlington. She was always fair and made learning easy. One remembrance of our year was having to learn and recite The Gettysburg Address. Good memories.
Paula Zimmerman
November 07, 2025 | School
Remembered By
Carol
November 03, 2025
Mrs. Swanberg was the Speech and Music Appreciation teacher at Anacortes Junior High School. Throughout the years, I have had a love and appreciation for Classical Music and fond memory of Mrs. Swanberg for introducing the Classics to me.
Al Burrows
November 02, 2025
Our lives were better having Rita and Al as our longtime neighbors at Lake Whatcom. Their sage advice and watchful eye during the times we were not at the lake were so appreciated. They taught us kids how to waterski. The best of the best. We will miss her so much.
Much love,
Cecelia Sandvik and Jim Hodgson and family
Cecelia Sandvik
November 02, 2025 | Seattle, WA | Neighbor
We´ll miss this loving, sweet lady, with just a touch of spice, always. We shared our son and she shared her daughter; together we all made it work very happily for these many years. Our Lord blessed your life´s path and now you can thank HIM in person. GOD speed, dear one.
Dick and Ramona Klett
November 01, 2025 | Family
