Duane R. Swenson

Duane R. Swenson, 74, died December 12, 2004, in his home, with his family at his side. Duane was born in Fargo, North Dakota on September 13, 1930. He attended rural school in Eglon Township and graduated from High School in 1948 from the N.W. School of Agriculture in Crookston, Minnesota. On June 17, 1951, Duane married Mavis Jensen, and together they raised a family and farmed east of Hawley. Duane attended and graduated from the Missouri Auction School in Kansas City in 1959. He, and later with his son, Rand, provided auctioneer services in the community for 30 years. Duane was a life long member of Eksjo Lutheran Church, where he served on the council and cemetery boards and enjoyed fellowship with his church family. He was a board member of Eglon Township for 34 years and a life member and active participant of the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Association. Throughout his life, Duane loved his family and friends, cared for the land and trees, enjoyed adventures in good eating, travel, flying airplanes, working with gas engines and tractors, swimming and the many other simple pleasures his time on earth had to offer. Duane is survived by his wife, Mavis; three daughters, Elana Swenson Gridley, Pamela Swenson Harry Knox, and Nancy Swenson Trickey; his son, Rand Swenson; eight grandchildren, one great grandchild; his mother, Muriel Lord Swenson; one sister, Diane Robert Arnold; three nephews; and his mother-in-law, Mabel Runningen Jensen. Duane was preceded in death by his father, Roy Swenson.Through his long illness, family members and grandchildren have visited frequently and at Thanksgiving the family gathered together one last time.