Eleanore Swift

Eleanore Rose Swift, 92, of Crookston, MN died Friday evening, December 14, 2012, at the Villa St. Vincent Nursing Home in Crookston. Eleanore was born on May 31, 1920, to Henry and Elsa (Goosemann) Weber on their farm near Vesper, WI. She moved with her family to a farm in Fairfax township, rural Crookston, on April 1, 1929. During the 1930's she was active in 4-H as a member and youth leader. Eleanore graduated from Crookston's Northwest School of Agriculture in 1940. She went on to earn a teaching certificate from Teacher's Normal School in 1941and then taught for two years in country schools. On March 7, 1942 Eleanore was united in marriage to Hugh Ceylon Swift Sr. at Crookston. Six children were born to their union: Hugh Jr., Ernest, James, Lyle, Thomas, and Cheryl. The couple farmed near Crookston for several years. From 1974-81 Eleanore was employed as a bookkeeper for the Northwest Mental Health Center, and then kept the books for a short time for Fertile (MN) Farms and later with Catholic Charities, located in Crookston. In July of 1998 she moved from the farm to a home on Washington Avenue in Crookston. Sadly, Eleanore's daughter, Cheryl Wehrly, passed away on April 1, 2001 in Lubbock, TX. Eleanore was a longtime member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, and the Ladies Aid and Church Guild. She also held memberships in the Top Twenty Homemaker's Club and East Fairfax Home Study Club. Eleanore loved entertaining her family and friends and was a wonderful cook and baker. In what became a family tradition, she would prepare a Saturday night deer hunter's meal every fall for her 5 boys and their friends, and it was not unusual for her to be cooking a huge meal for as many as 20 hungry men. The meal was most often topped off by as many as 8 different kinds of pies that she baked. Over the very feeble protests of her "spoiled" sons Eleanore continued to do this until she was almost 90 years of age. She will forever be remembered for her kindness, gentle nature, and devotion to her family. Eleanore leaves her 5 sons: Hugh Swift Jr. and his wife, Sharlene, of Farmington, MN, Ernest and Sue Swift of Atlanta, GA, James and Kay Swift of Rolla, MO, Lyle Swift of Harrison, OH, and Thomas Swift of Aurora, CO; 14 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and 9 great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Gilbert Weber of Crookston, MN; several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Ann St. Ives, and Herb and Elores Swift of Crookston, Donald and Geri Swift of Hiram, OH, and Connie Swift of Mentor, OH; and many nieces, nephews, and other relatives. In addition to her daughter, Cheryl, she was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter-in-law, Dawn Swift; 3 brothers: Ervin, Harold, and Arthur Weber; 3 sisters-in-law, Esther, Dorothy, and Mildred Weber Weber; and other family members. May God bless Eleanore's memory. The funeral service for Eleanore Rose Swift will be held at 11:00am, Wednesday, December 19, 2012, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Crookston, MN, with The Rev. Steve Bohler, officiating. Visitation will be at the Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home on Tuesday from 5-7:00pm, with a 7:00pm prayer service, and also at the church for an hour before the funeral. Interment will take place in the Oakdale Cemetery, Crookston. Memorials may given in Eleanore's name to Our Savior's Lutheran Church or the Villa St. Vincent All-Weather Enclosure project.





Funeral Home: Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home 615 South Minnesota Street Crookston, MN US 56716

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Previous Events

Visitation
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Service
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
cemetery
Wednesday, December 19, 2012