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Charles Allyn Swenson
Charles Allyn Swenson
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Charles Swenson Obituary
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August 31st 1933 - December 8th 2024
Service
January 18th 2025
11:00 AM
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Iowa City
City 52245
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Bryce Plapp
January 3, 2025
Remembering Chuck Swenson January 3, 2025
Chuck was a great teacher, colleague and friend.
As a physical biochemist, he clearly explained difficult concepts about a variety of essential topics in the classes he taught to undergraduate and graduate students. I attended some of his lectures, which provided a thorough overview of the principles and practice of biophysical techniques. He also was an inventive experimentalist, building a calorimeter and using the early computers. He wrote a very useful textbook on solving quantitative problems in biochemistry, co-published with Rex Montgomery. We used this book as supplement in the general biochemistry classes because of the coverage and clarity of the kinds of problems most biochemists would encounter.
Chuck was also a wise and informed person in the Department of Biochemistry and the College of Medicine, serving on central committees and advising the Dean of Medicine. During his time as acting head of Biochemistry, Chuck held the Department together and recruited an excellent faculty member.
When the Bowen Science Building was under construction, Chuck helped to redesign the floor plans so that less space was used for hallways and more space was used for laboratory benches and scientific instruments. For his efforts, the Department gave him a classic Jimmy Connors steel T2000 tennis racquet, which he put to good use.
As a gifted and fit athlete, Chuck was a master of tennis and ping pong. He usually was on the winning side, with precise placement of shots and great court coverage. His advice was also good: "get a firm grip on your racquet, and make your opponent hit one more shot". He also said that I (and others maybe) had two chances to win: "slim and none". It also helped that Chuck could play tennis at the court he built at his suburban home. He probably also kept him trim by working in his prolific fruit and vegetable garden. We aware of his efforts when he and Joanne hosted parties at their house.
Chuck also organized some exciting canoe trips on the Upper Iowa River, where many members of the Department camped out overnight and paddled through that scenic, bluff-lined valley. He usually paddled with Earle Stellwagen in the bow, and I think they only capsized once. Usually, at least one canoe capsized on each trip, maybe to get a closer feel of the water?
Chuck was a good mentor for me in the early days as a new faculty member. Before there were formal mentors and published policies, Chuck gave me some excellent advice. He was very level-headed. We certainly appreciated his presence and contributions.
We value our memories of Chuck,
Bryce Plapp
Jill Johnson-West
December 19, 2024
I have many happy memories of seeing Chuck at church. He will be missed!
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4200 First Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
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