Tilman
Swenson, 78Thief River Falls - Tilman Swenson, 78, died Saturday, October 31, 1998 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3 at Faith Lutheran Brethren Church in Thief River Falls with Reverend George Davis officiating. Lenore Johnson was the organist, and the soloist was Solveig Swenson. Casketbearers were Roger Swenson, Donnie Lokken, Dale Swenson, Melville Bakken, Milton Bakken and Marvin Bakken. Military honors were provided by the Thief River Falls American Legion and VFW Posts. Burial was held at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Hegland Lutheran Cemetery in Eglon township of Clay county. The Green Funeral Home of Thief River Falls was in charge of the arrangements.
Tilman Stanley Swenson was born on November 26, 1919 in St. Hilaire, the son of Mons and Helga (Johnson) Swenson. He grew up and attended school in St. Hilaire.
On June 29, 1942 he entered the United States Army at Fort Snelling. He was stationed on Tinian Island in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After returning to the United States in 1945 he was discharged in the rank of Corporal. Tilman received the American Theater Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon and Bronze Star.
On January 14, 1946 he married Opal Angeline Ekre of rural Hawley at Hegland Lutheran Church. For several years Tilman worked as a gardener for the Northwest School of Agriculture in Crookston.
In 1959, the couple moved to Moorhead where Tilman was an employee of the City Street Department. He moved to Redlands, CA in 1967 where he worked as a janitor for Loma Linda University Medical Center. Tilman returned to Moorhead that same year. He retired in 1970. Opal died in 1990. In 1993, Tilman moved to Thief River Falls where he resided at Valley Home.
Tilman is survived by one son, Roger (Kathy) of Redlands, CA; two daughters, Annette Brekke of St. Cloud and Sharon Fausti of Brookings, SD; two granddaughters; one brother, Melvin (Merilla) Swenson, and one sister, Gladys Bakken, both of Thief River Falls; and two sisters-in-law.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Opal; his parents; three brothers, Earl, Reuben, and Norval "Peter;" and seven sisters, Ella Lokken, Minnie Zims, Amanda Aubol, Rena Koidahl, Hannah Lind, Nora Swenson and Selma Aubol.