Thief River Falls - Mitchell Swanson, 40, died Wednesday, March 3, 1999 at Northwest Medical Center in Thief River Falls.
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 8 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls with Reverend John Wollenzien and Tim Bauer officiating. Ida Nordvall was the organist, and Karen Vold was the vocalist. Casketbearers were Keith Dziengel, Charles Dziengel, Mike Sorteberg, Rocky Joppru, Jack Nelson and Gary Nelson. Honorary casketbearers were all of his business associates and friends. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls. The Green Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Mitchell Myron Swanson was born on April 14, 1958 at Hallock, the son of Myron and Geraldine (Lund) Swanson. He was baptized in August of 1958 at Maria Lutheran Church in Kennedy and later confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in Hallock. Mitchell attended school in Hallock, graduating from Hallock High School in 1976. Following graduation he attended the Area Vocational Technical Institute in Thief River Falls for one year.
Mitchell was united in marriage to Jodie Vatsaas on May 13, 1978 at Oak Ridge Lutheran Church. The couple has since made their home in the Thief River Falls community. He worked at Thief River Grain, dairy farming, United Satellite Systems and was a rural mail carrier. For the past 10 years he has worked in international sales at Arctic Cat, Inc.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church where he once served on the board. He was a former member of Oak Ridge Lutheran Church and Grace Lutheran Church. He was a past president of the Eagles, a member of the Pennington County Fair Board, past president of the Snow Drifters and a member of the Thief River Falls Baseball Association. He enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, snowmobiling, spending time at the cabin and being with his friends.
Mitchell is survived by his wife, Jodie of Thief River Falls; two sons, Nicholas Swanson of Moorhead and Kyle Swanson of Thief River Falls; his parents, Myron and Geraldine Swanson of Hallock; one sister, Jill Swanson of Hallock; his in-laws, Duane and Pauline Vatsaas and family; and several aunts, great aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents. A00003B1999MR10