John Henry Swanson

John Henry Swanson, 93 of Alexandria, passed away on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at Knute Nelson Care Center in Alexandria. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria beginning at 1:00 PM, with a public visitation being held one hour prior. Interment will be at Kinkead Cemetery following the service. 

John was born at the University Hospital in Minneapolis and given the name of John Richard Gittens. He was not expected to survive and was baptized shortly after birth. He surprised everyone by surviving although he spent many months at the hospital. At 16 months of age he was adopted by Henry and Grace Swanson who then resided in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He was rebaptised and was given the name John Henry Swanson.

His family moved to Willmar Minnesota where he attended High School, graduating in 1950. Memories included working at Green Giant, delivering papers, working at the National T Grocery Store, a surveying crew for the State of Minnesota, and the Great Northern Railroad Section Crew. He attended NDSU in Fargo where he graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. While there he was a member of the Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity.

He was united in marriage to Dorothy Lundgren on October 8, 1954 at Providence Valley Lutheran Church in Dawson, Minnesota. To this union two children were born, Lori and Steven. The family lived in a number of locations primarily on the East Coast before settling in Fridley, Minnesota for five years. In 1965 they relocated to Alexandria where John taught at the Vocational School in the Mechanical Design Program for many years. John and Dot retired together in 1991 and enjoyed many warm winters in Arizona where they both renewed and formed many new friendships.

John served many years on the La Grande Township Board, first as the Town Clerk and later as a supervisor. He was an original member of the Alexandria Area Sewer District, a longtime member of the Golden K Club, a member of the First Lutheran Church since 1965, and a member of the Masonic Lodge. He and Dot enjoyed golf and were members of the Alexandria Country Club for 30-plus years.

Other hobbies and interests included camping, anything to do with the railroad or trains, ham radio, and wood working. John never met a dog that he didn't like, and all the neighbor dogs knew it. It was not at all unusual to find him accompanied by at least one dog when he went out to walk.

After a long search and countless letters, John was able to find and spend time with his biologic half-brothers which he enjoyed immensely. After a life as an only child, he suddenly discovered a large extended family. Catching up on all of the stories has taken years. Truth is stranger than fiction and those stories included running into "a guy who could have been my brother" at a local gas station and discovering years later that his brother, Dick, had indeed worked at that station during that time period.

John was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Les (Margaret) Gittens, Clinton Musil, and Kenneth Musil. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Swanson; children, Lori (Stuart) Waltonen and Steven (Diane) Swanson; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; a brother, Richard (Kay) Musil; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family requests that any memorials be directed to Luther Crest Bible Camp or Lutheran Social Services.

Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria is in charge of arrangements for John.