Helen Swenson

Helen Swenson, 95, of Elbow Lake, passed away Thursday, November 3, 2022, at the Barrett Care Center. 

Funeral services were at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at United Lutheran Church, Elbow Lake with Pastor Jean Ohman officiating. Visitation began at 10:00 a.m.. Burial at West Elbow Lake Lutheran Cemetery, rural Elbow Lake.

 Helen Louise Swenson was born September 21, 1927, to Ambrose and Lila (Berg) Estenson in Elbow Lake Township. She grew up in Elbow Lake Township and attended country school, then high school at the West Central School of Agriculture in Morris, graduating in 1944. She was baptized on October 30, 1927, and confirm on July 5, 1942, at West Elbow Lake Lutheran Church.

 On June 5, 1948, she was united in marriage to Vernyl Swenson at West Elbow Lake Lutheran Church. The couple made their home in Elbow Lake Township where they farmed, raised livestock, and raised their four children. In 1990, Helen and Vernyl moved into Elbow Lake. Vernyl passed away on January 21, 1992. In 2013, Helen moved to Rolling Hills Assisted Living in Barrett until September of 2017, when she became a resident at the Barrett Care Center.

 Helen was a member of West Elbow Lake Lutheran Church and United Lutheran Church, where she was active in the altar guild. She enjoyed baking Norwegian goodies, gardening, sewing, hardanger embroidery, and helping on the farm with animals and fieldwork. She enjoyed traveling, especially to Norway, Alaska, Germany, and Switzerland. She enjoyed bus trips to casinos where she was always “lucky.”

Helen is survived by her daughters, Deborah (Lyle) Krusemark and Karen (Randy) Ricks; son, Steven (Cindy) Swenson; daughter-in-law, JoAnn Swenson; 12 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. 

She is preceded in death by her parents Ambrose and Lila, husband Vernyl, son Richard, granddaughter Melanie Murray, great-granddaughter Mikeala Peterson, and sisters Alene Magnuson and Ramona Kruize.

 Please visit <EricksonSmithFH.com> to view Helen’s video tribute, and livestreaming of the funeral service.