CONSTANCE SWENSON

SWENSON--Constance. Constance (Connie) Irey Swenson of Missoula, Montana, age 89, passed away June 7, 2023, suddenly but peacefully at St. Patrick Hospital in the company of family and friends. Connie shared a bright and positive light, always focused on what was good and never noticed the negative. She lived and died as she had hoped; independent in every way. She shared her unbeknownst last meal with one of her sons the day of her passing, where she was cheerful and happy as always. As Constance often said, she was appropriately named. Connie was born in Streator, Illinois, on March 17, 1934, the eldest child of the late Rex Frantz Irey and Janet MacDowell (Burgett) Irey. Connie was raised in Monmouth, IL. Her formative years included WWII and her father was stationed domestically away from home for extended periods. Connie had so many fond memories of being the big sister to her beloved siblings Anne, Roger, Kay, Burg, and Lynn, not the least of which was holding Kay by her suspenders after she fell from an upstairs window until their dad Rex, who Connie adored, could come to the rescue and pull Kay back inside. Connie went on to attend Monmouth College. There she was Homecoming Queen, May Fete Queen, and Track Queen. Connie was also on the "Monmouth Annie Oakleys" National Champion Rifle Team (May,1954). She did all this while enjoying dancing, winning beauty contests, and working 35-to-40 hours per week to help pay for college. Connie was a lifetime member of Pi Beta Phi, founded at Monmouth College in 1867. Connie took pride in the fact that the birthplace of sororities in America was Monmouth College, where Kappa Kappa Gamma was formed three years after Pi Beta Phi, and they became known as the Monmouth Duo. Connie had a group of girlfriends from grade school through her entire life with whom she maintained close contact, in part through a chain of letters Connie referred to as a 'round robin,' unbroken spanning more than six decades. Immediately after graduating from Monmouth college with a major in English and Education, Connie trained for and became a Stewardess for United (Airlines). Connie graduated first in her United class, granting her the opportunity to choose any hub location and she chose Newark, NJ. She thrived at United and met many glamorous people until she was married in 1957. When Connie proudly worked for United, a woman could not remain employed once married. Connie was featured in articles about her and Jack's love of aviation and about her service in Clipped Wings. Her choice of the Newark United hub led Connie to meet John (Jack) Stevens Swenson, the love of her life, on Labor Day 1956. They were married February 8, 1957, and remained inseparable for 52 years, until Jack's death on September 29, 2009. Connie remained loyal and adoring of Jack until the day she died, often recounting fondly the details of their first date and courtship. Connie and Jack had five children in seven years, all of whom they adored: Laura Swenson-Ackerman (Bruce) of Stanhope, NJ, Chris Swenson- Nahrebne (Gary) of Washington, NJ, John Swenson (Teri) of Jacksonville, Alabama, Susan Swenson (Joe) of Brooklyn, NY, and Thomas Swenson (Holly) of Missoula, MT. Jack and Connie founded Swenson Realty, a farm and land sales agency, serving New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, selling many thousands of acres of land, including many dairy farms, corporate hunting retreats, and eventually some of their own land. Their agency allowed them to hike, fly, fish (Connie preferred to read voraciously with effortless patience while Jack fly fished), play tennis, sunbathe, and spend extensive time with their children, including spending cherished summers on Rangeley Lake (Maine) about 500 miles from their home in Washington, New Jersey, while earning a living. Some of those long, family- soaked summers also included coast-to-coast trips in their small planes, visiting family and friends along the way. During this period Connie supported Jack in breeding and training the Dual Champion Brittany Spaniel named Faircrest Poyjet, winning best in field and show, as featured in the book The Brittany in America. In their golden years, Connie and Jack moved to Montana. About one year after Jack's death, Connie had an extended near-death experience after a Cat-Griz game, where her daughter-in-law Holly Swenson (Tom) saved her life with CPR, along with God's grace, granting Connie another 13 years of life. The story of Connie's near-death experience was so moving it was featured in St. Patrick's Hospital magazine and was depicted on billboards and even murals on Missoula city buses. Most of all Connie was a dedicated and devoted wife, mother, daughter, and sister; always making her family her priority. Services have been entrusted to the Walter J. Meyers Funeral Home, Jenkintown, PA. Expressions of condolences can be made at: www.MeyersFH.com