DuWayne Swenson of Dawson, died on Sunday, November 26, 2017 at the Johnson Memorial Care Center at the age of 92.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at Grace Lutheran Church in Dawson. Rev. Kendall Stelter will officiate and interment will be in the Dawson Cemetery.
Visitation with the family will be held on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 from 5 - 7 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at the Hanson & Dahl Funeral Home in Dawson. Visitation will continue one hour before services at church on Thursday.
DuWayne Verdon Swenson was born on July 25, 1925 in Maxwell Township to Walter and Emma (Anderson) Swenson. He was baptized at the Presbyterian Church in Dawson, and was confirmed at the Riverside Lutheran Church in Dawson. He grew up on the family farm south of Dawson in Maxwell Township. DuWayne attended country school in District # 26, and graduated from Dawson High School. During World War II, he spent two years in the Merchant Marines traveling to destinations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. He started farming in Maxwell Township in 1948. On November 18, 1950, he married Victoria Mae Hanson of Clarkfield. They lived and farmed in Maxwell Township for eight years, and in 1958 purchased a farm in Riverside Township near Dawson. Corn and soybeans were the principal crops raised.
DuWayne had a big interest in livestock and fed 500 head of cattle for many years. Hogs were also a part of his enterprise. In 1960, he took an interest in Suffolk sheep. This business grew to a point of having one or two production sales of his purebred Suffolk sheep with the majority of the sales being held in Sioux Falls, SD. With his interest in sheep, he became involved in many sheep organizations including: MN Suffolk sheep Asso., MN Wool Growers Asso., North Central Wool Marketing Corp., of which he was vice chairman, MN Sheep Council President, and Director of the National Suffolk Sheep Asso. He had the opportunity of traveling to many points of interest in the U.S., and he and Victoria spent many winters in Arizona.
DuWayne was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church where he had served on the council and was congregational president. He was also an active member of the Dawson VFW, and chairman of the Riverside Township board for 20 years.
DuWayne is survived by three children: Dean (Paula) Swenson of Walcott, ND, Bradley (Janet) Swenson of Colman, SD, and Joyce Jorgenson (Alan Oppegaard) of Maple Grove, MN; one sister, Gwen Robertson; seven grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Victoria; and two sisters: Verlyce Borlaug and Phyllis Jean Fredlund.