Gussie C. Swingen

WODEN – Gussie C. Swingen, 84, of Woden died Tuesday, June 30, 2015, at the Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt.

A memorial service will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 3, 2015, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Woden with Rev. Kim Peterson officiating. Inurnment will be in Grant Township Cemetery in Woden.

A memorial visitation will be held 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, July 2, 2015, at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 310 Main Street, in Woden.

Gussie Clair Swingen, the son of Gus and Clara (Holland) Swingen, was born March 2, 1931, in Winnebago County. He was baptized at Faith Lutheran Church in Miller and confirmed at Grant Lutheran Church near Woden. Gussie attended the rural schools of Grant Township and graduated from Buffalo Center High School. On September 8, 1956, he married Verlaine Mathews at Winnebago Lutheran Church in rural Lake Mills. The couple lived on an acreage northeast of Woden until moving into Woden. Gussie farmed with his brother, Harvey, and later his son, Doug. In January of 2014, he became a resident at Westview Care Center in Britt. He enjoyed family fishing trips to northern Minnesota and farming. He will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved him.

He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Woden and past member of Grant Lutheran Church.

Gussie is survived by his wife, Verlaine Swingen of Woden; two children, Pam (Dan) Kloser of Garner and Doug (Lisa) Swingen of Woden; four grandchildren, Tyler Kloser, Jessica (Jordan) Wellik, Megan (Corben) Schueler and Matthew Swingen; a sister-in-law, Karolyn Flatrud, a brother-in-law, Ronnie (Carole) Mathews; a special nephew, Jim Anderson, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Myrth Anderson and Theo Callies; and a brother, Harvey Swingen.