Melvin John Swanson
July 14, 1920 ~ April 5, 2008
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
MELVIN J. SWANSON
Asheville~ Melvin John Swanson, 87, died Saturday, April 5, 2008 at Givens Health Care Center. A native of Chicago Heights, Illinois, he was the son of the late John and Beda Sandstrom Swanson. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Marjorie Weise.
Melvin was formerly of South Holland, Illinois before retiring to the Asheville area in 1983. He was a long time volunteer at Mission Hospitals and an active participant in Heart Path and Second Chance programs at the Asheville YMCA. Melvin was also a U.S. Army veteran serving during WWII.
He is survived by his loving wife of over 61 years, Helen Swanson; two sons, Alan Robert Swanson and his wife, Janet, of Wilmette, Ill., and John Melvin Swanson and his wife, Janine, of Santiago, Chile; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, April 11, 2008 at the Lutheran Church of the Nativity with Pastor Sara R. Ilderton officiating. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall immediately following the service. The burial will be at 2:00 PM Friday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Candler.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to the Lutheran Church of the Nativity, PO Box 208, Arden, NC 28704 or to ABCCM, 24 Cumberland Ave., Asheville, NC 28801.
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian on Long Shoals Road is handling the arrangements.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
I am so sorry for the loss of your loved one. Mel was one of the sweetest and most compassionate people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He always greeted me with a hug. We would swap gardening tips. I knew Mel for the past 20 years from when I worked in Heart Path and his volunteer position with the heart patients. He truly was a gem. My heart is saddened and grieve your loss with you. He will greatly be missed.