Karen Swartz

Long-time Seward resident Karen Swartz died August 9, 2011 at Seward Providence Hospital after a short illness.

Karen Alfreda Fondahn Swartz was born November 26, 1928 in Ketchikan, Alaska, to Edmund Albion Fondahn and Marie Xenia Cleghorn Fondahn. The family moved to Seldovia and then to Seward, where Karen always felt most at home. When she was 16 the family moved once again, this time to Seattle where her parents deemed it to be safer while the country was at war. She hated leaving and always vowed to move back to her beloved Seward.

In 1948 Karen met Robert David Swartz, who at that time was co-owner of a soda fountain in Seattle. Karen and Bob were married on her father's birthday, November 16, 1949.

Over the years Karen worked at various jobs to supplement the family's income. Her favorite position over the years was at the Seward Phoenix Log. That job entailed a little bit of everything that needs doing at a community newspaper, including reporting, ad sales, and later serving as managing editor.

She also enjoyed her position as manager of the Mount Marathon Native Association Health Outreach office that was then part of the North Pacific Rim (now Chugachmuit). She was a member of Chugach Native Association and proud of her Athabascan heritage and enjoyed working to help people find jobs, get health care and adjust to living here.

Karen was preceded in death by her mother and father, husband Bob, son Rob, brothers Edmund and Emil, sister Margaret and foster son David McKecknie. She is survived by her son John, daughter Heather and husband Al, daughter Bobbie and husband Ken, son James and his wife Jenny and daughter-in-law Teresa Swartz. She is also survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Seward Animal Shelter where she and Bob adopted some of their pets.

There will be a Celebration of Life at Saint Peter's Episcopal Church in Seward on Sunday, August 21, 2011; at 3:00 p.m. with a reception to follow in the church meeting hall. Everyone is welcome. Karen's ashes were buried beside those of her husband at son Rob's gravesite in the Seward Cemetery.