Ferdinand L. Swenson

Ferdinand L. (Ferd) Swenson passed away on Thursday, March 5th at the age of 91. Ferd was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 26, 1924, the fifth of six children born to David and Dorothy Swenson. When Ferd was two years old, the family moved to Spokane, Washington, where he was raised.

He attended Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School and graduated from Gonzaga High School (now Gonzaga Prep) in 1942. The following December, Ferd enlisted in the United States Navy. In 1945 he was commissioned Ensign Swenson at Northwestern University Midshipman School. He served in the Navy until June 1946, and then joined the Navy Reserves.

In 1947, Ferd met his future bride, Elizabeth (Libby) Collings. They were married on January 29, 1949, the day after Ferd graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Civil Engineering. Ferd and Libby spent the first few months of their marriage in Spokane where he worked for an electrical engineer. In May, he accepted a position with the Bureau of Reclamation and worked at Coulee Dam until June of 1951, when they moved to Walla Walla. Ferd worked for the Army Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla until his retirement in 1983.

Ferd was a founding member of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church and an active member of the parish. He was a long-time volunteer at the Saint Vincent DePaul Society and a dedicated supporter of the Walla Walla chapter for Human Life.

Ferd is survived by his beloved wife of sixty-six years, Libby, their nine children and spouses: Larry (Lonie) Swenson, Ennis, MT; Karen (John) Lawrence, Enterprise, OR; Margaret (Don) Eakman, Great Falls, MT; Mark (Mary) Swenson, Otis Orchards, WA; Mary (Tom) Nickol, Coeur d’Alene, ID; Loretta (Gerard) Byrd, Martin City, MT; Teresa (Ray) Enge, Idaho Falls, ID; David (Lori) Swenson, Helena, MT; and Michael (Chris) Swenson, Cortland, NY. In addition to his nine children, Ferd is survived by 27 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren (with three more on the way). He is also survived by his younger brother Howard Swenson of Seattle, and his brother-in-law Adolph Shymanski of Los Angeles, CA.

Ferd was preceded in death by his parents, David and Dorothy; a brother, David,
and sisters Cecelia, Irais, and Sister Mary Loretta, SNJM (Mary Della).

Viewing & visitation will be held on March 10, 2015 from 4:30 PM until after the Rosary at the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA. The Rosary will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 also at the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home at 6:00 PM. The funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, March 11, at 10:00 at Assumption Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Walla Walla Chapter of Human Life through the funeral home.