Reverend Dan Swanson passed away at Abbott Northwestern Hospital on June 20, 2017. He had reached the age of 71 years, 8 months and 19 days.
Funeral Service: 2 PM Saturday, June 24, 2017, at First Baptist Church of Cokato.
Visitation: 4-9 PM Friday at Church, and 1 hour prior to service on Saturday.
Interment; Estherville, Iowa
Reverend Danville Karl Swanson was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota on October 1, 1945 to Ivan and Nellie (Salley) Swanson. He grew up in Estherville, Iowa and graduated from Estherville High School in 1963. Dan went on to Estherville Community College, then Mankato State College graduating in 1967 with a degree in teaching. He taught for 3 years in West Bend and Fremont-Mills, Iowa.
Dan married Cindy Simkins on August 16, 1969. They were married by Reverend Olaf Nelsen in Youngstown, Ohio. He went on to attend Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN, graduating with a Masters of Divinity in 1974. Dan and Cindy served faithfully at four different churches: Bakerview Baptist in Ferndale, Washington, Union Baptist in Estherville, Iowa, Bethany Baptist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and First Baptist Church in Cokato, MN, where he served from 1990 till 2012, when he retired from full-time ministry.
Dan enjoyed golf, reading, movies of all kinds, playing cards at family gatherings, and oldies music. He especially enjoyed spending time with family on vacations. Until the end, he was famous (infamous!) for his attempts at humor and his desire to make people laugh. He was a true servant who would give the shirt off his back to help. He absolutely loved people – he never met a person who didn’t walk away from him feeling genuinely cared about. However, the most important things in Dan’s life were God, his family, and his congregation.
Dan passed away at Abbott Northwestern Hospital on the morning of June 20, 2017. He had reached the age of 71 years, 8 months and 19 days.
Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Ivan and Nellie Swanson, and his niece, Caryl Verbrugge.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy, Cokato, MN; his children Beth (Mark) Roelofs, Spokane, WA, Andy Swanson, Hopkins, MN, and Greg (Angela) Swanson, Otsego, MN; his grandchildren Marin and Annika Roelofs and Madilyn, Brylee, and Emily Swanson; his sisters Sally (Bernie) Verbrugge, Armstrong, IA, and Laura (Steve) Young, Estherville, IA; and many nieces, nephews, and other extended family.
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