DeAlda Swegle

ROCKFORD - DeAlda Swegle, 92, of 605 Riverview Drive, Rockford, died Monday (Nov. 23, 2009) at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30, at First United Methodist Church, 21 Third St. N.W. in Rockford, with Pastor Judy Wooton officiating. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery in Rockford.
A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29, at Fullerton Schumburg Funeral Home, 302 W. Main Rockford, and again one hour prior to the service at the church.
For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church.
Those wishing to share their thoughts, condolences, and stories may do so on the funeral home Web site at www.Fullertonfh.com.
DeAlda was born Jan. 17, 1917, on the family farm southwest of Rockford, to William and Blanch (McElroy) Benson. DeAlda grew up on the farm, went to country school, and graduated from Rockford High School in 1933.
She married Hoyle H. Ginther on Jan. 23, 1935, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. To this union two children were born, Marilynne Elizibeth and Gary Lee Ginther. DeAlda and Hoyle were divorced in 1952.
After leaving the farm, she lived in Denver, Colo., and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1959. She married Daniel Swegle in 1959. He died in 1964. DeAlda lived in Salt Lake City for 40 years until moving to Rockford on Feb. 8, 1999, to be near her son, Gary, and his family.
While living on the farm she was often seen in the fields driving horses that the hired man refused to drive, mowing and raking hay, etc. She also rode her horse to round up and move their herd of cattle from one pasture to another with just her horse to assist her. She was an excellent horseman and enjoyed horses.
DeAlda was a realtor since 1962. She opened her own real estate office in 1971 and had agents working with her. She was very active in the real estate business and served on the Salt Lake Board of Directors as a director for seven years. She also served on the Utah State Board of Directors as a director for six years. She was well liked by her fellow realtors who elected her for two terms to the local board as well as the state board.
DeAlda loved to go trout fishing on the Utah mountain streams. She often did fly fishing, wading the streams. She took all of her grandchildren to the mountains to camp and fish when they spent time with her, some of them spending most of their summer vacation with her.
She followed the Utah Jazz basketball team and their games. She had a prize-winning garden in Salt Lake City and was active in a garden club. DeAlda was active in the Holladay Community Church where she chaired the Save For Santa Project. She turned this project into a year long assistance program for needy families in the area.
She was instrumental in starting a used clothing room and the church, which provided used clothing, quilts and blankets. She asked her committee to visit the needy families each month and help them with their problems and needs.
DeAlda enjoyed the Mormon Church choir and often took guests and her grandchildren to Sunday services at the Tabernacle. She had many Mormon friends in Utah.
Survivors include her daughter, Marilynne E. Gossett (Bill), of Grand Junction, Colo.; her son, Gary L. Ginther, of Rockford; grandchildren, Marty Ginther (Leann), Scott Ginther (Pam), Laurie Carlson (Kevin), Dean Gossett (Leslie), David Gossett, and Michael Gossett (Jill); 10 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Jean Benson; special friend, Bard Heeren; and many nieces and nephews.
DeAlda will be deeply missed by her family. A special thank you to her caregivers, Amy Carol Lines, Jan Parcher and Amy Michelle Lines. Because of their loving care and support, DeAlda was able to remain at her home until her move to Hospice.
Preceding DeAlda in death are her parents; husband, Daniel Swegle; sister, Hazel Helland; and brother, Harold Benson.
Fullerton Schumburg Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 641-756-3311, www.Fullertonfh.com