Lillian Swenson

June 6, 1927 - March 4, 2019

The funeral service for Lillian Swenson of Wadena will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 10, 2019 at the United Methodist Church in Wadena with Pastor Lee Kantonen presiding. Friends may call at the Schuller Family Funeral Homes' Johnson-Schuller Chapel in Wadena on Saturday from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m.. The visitation will continue at the church on Sunday from 12-Noon until the time of services. Lillian died at the age of 91 years on Monday, March 4, 2019 at the Bethany on the Lake Home in Alexandria under the gentle care of Hospice of Douglas County. Lillian was born to Clifford F. and Alice J. (Lochner) Zaske on June 6, 1927, in Sleepy Eye, MN. She graduated from high school and completed a one year clerical course. Lillian was united in marriage with E. Melvin Swenson on July 7, 1951, in Hewitt. They made their home in Wadena, where Lillian was busy with the daily tasks of raising their family. She was a talented quilt-maker and was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Wadena. Lillian was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin, on September 15, 2001; daughter, Brenda Swenson; parents Clifford and Alice; siblings Glenn Zaske and Shirley Braun; sister-in-law Shirley Zaske; brother-in-law Gerald Drayna; also Melvin’s brothers, and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Lillian will be lovingly remembered by her children, Marsha (Gordon) Kuehne of Austin, MN, Bradley (Julie) Swenson of Wadena, and Bruce (Wanda) Swenson of Garfield; grandchildren, Shawn (Tabby) Swenson, Aleisha (Benjamin) Leger, Amy (Jon) Ralph, Erika Gannon, Sarah (Steve) Krocka, Kendra and Marshal Swenson; great-grandchildren, Allyson and Austin Swenson, Lenora and Jackson Leger, Eli, Sam and Lia Ralph, and Oakley and McKinley Krocka; siblings Robert (Margarita) Zaske of San Antonio, TX, Jeanette Zaske of Wadena, Gerald (VaDonna) Zaske of Fergus Falls, Fayette (Richard) Kovar of Wadena, LaVonne Drayna of Fergus Falls; brother-in-law, Bernard Braun of Richfield; along with Melvin’s sisters, Loma Baker and Leona Erickson of Portland, OR; and many nieces and nephews. Honorary pallbearers will be Lillian’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Active pallbearers will be Shawn Swenson, Jon Ralph, Steve Krocka, Benjamin Leger, Marshal Swenson and Austin Swenson. Burial will be in the Wadena Cemetery, Wadena, MN.