Mabel Pauline Schwan

Aberdeen - Mass of Christian Burial for Mabel P. Schwan, 95, Aberdeen, will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 409 Second Ave. N.E., with Father Gregory Tschakert officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery with Schriver's Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 Fifth Ave. N.W., in charge of arrange- ments. Liturgical wake service will be 7 p.m. Friday followed by a Catholic Society of Foresters and Christian Mothers Rosary at 7:30 p.m. at the mortuary. Visitation is 3 to 8 p.m. Friday at the mortuary and for one hour before the funeral mass on Saturday, at the church. Mabel passed away Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, at Avera Mother Joseph Manor. Mabel was born June 21, 1910, in Meadow, S.D., to William and Minnie (James) Ellerman. She had two brothers, Edward and Clarence, and two sisters, Margaret and Laura. At the age of 2, Mabel and her siblings moved to Clyde, Mo., due to the untimely death of their Mother. Mabel and her sister Margaret were placed in the capable care of the Benedictine Sisters Orphanage at Conception, Mo., where they were raised and educated. Her other siblings were placed with extended family at Clyde. At the age of 15, she moved to Aberdeen to live with her father and completed her education. She lived with her sister in Chicago for a short time only to return to Aberdeen where she met and married Frank Schwan in 1928. From this union Mabel and Frank were blessed with 10 children. During her lifetime she worked at various places including Tiffany Laundry, Ranch Cafe, and the telephone company. For many years Mabel worked at St. Luke's Hospital as a seamstress, making the habits for the Sisters and Altar Cloths for the church. The Sisters continued to be a very important part of her life. Mabel's life was one of giving. She belonged to many organizations including St. Mary's Altar Society, Christian Mothers, Catholic Order of Foresters, Senior Center, The Milwaukee Women's Club, Women of the Moose and especially the March of Dimes. She volunteered many hours of service to Avera Mother Joseph Manor sewing lap blankets for the residents. Every year she would sew blankets for the Veterans Hospital in Hot Springs, S.D., where her father resided. Her talents were many, including her love of music, poetry writing and needle work. However, her specialty was quilting. Her first quilt of every year was designed and created especially for the St. Mary's Church Bazaar. Through the years she donated many quilts to this charitable fundraiser. One of her most noteworthy quilts was designed for the Aberdeen Centennial Celebration. This quilt was then donated to the Dakota Prairie Museum where it has been displayed. Each one of her children were fortunate to receive quilts and other pieces of needle work including beaded Christmas ornaments of which they treasure. She will remain a part of their holidays forever. Gardening was not only a necessity but something she enjoyed, especially her love of flowers. Her family and friends enjoyed much of the produce she so skillfully preserved. Because her husband Frank traveled with the railroad, she alone was the main care giver of her children. She raised her children through scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough and polio. Her daughter, Rose Marie was the first victim in Aberdeen to die from Bulbar Polio. She is survived by four daughters: Angie (Jesse) Luce, Alice (Edward) Rombs, both of Aberdeen, Lorena (Denis) Thurman of Shelby, N.C., Mabel (Kenneth) Flanagan of Thompson Falls, Mont.; four sons, Gene (Barb) Schwan, Frank Jr. (JoAnne) Schwan, Bill (Joy) Schwan, all of Aberdeen, and Robert (Jean) Schwan of Tulsa, Okla. Mabel was blessed with 24 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, and 25 great-great-grand- children. Mable is preceded in death by her husband, Frank, two daughters, Rose Marie and Margaret (Marge) Thurman, two grandchildren, Connie Flanagan and Joseph Rombs, and two great-grandchildren, Shane Luce and Angel Morgan. Her life of 95 years was indeed full. Of all her accomplishments in life, her family was most important. Memorials may be sent to the Eden Fund at Avera Mother Joseph Manor, Aberdeen.