Munising
Allen Richard Swanberg, age 88, formerly of W. Munising Avenue, died on Monday afternoon, November 2, 2009 at the Tendercare Health Center in Munising. He was born on September 16, 1921 in Chatham, Michigan to the late Conrad and Hanna (Scheveinius) Swanberg and graduated from Eben High School in 1939. Al was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps at Camp AuTrain, and then worked security in Detroit. He then served his apprenticeship as a mason and plasterer with Ness Brothers in Escanaba. Al began employment with Kimberly Clark in Munising on June 2, 1953 as a Broke Handler in the Beater Room. On November 2, 1953, he posted into the Engineering Department as a Mason, the position he held at the time of his retirement on January 1, 1984 with over thirty years of continuous service. In 1949, Al had married Faith "Faye" Booker. Together they raised their four children and were married over fifty-five years when Faye preceded him in death on November 16, 2004. Al was a member of the United Methodist Church in Munising was active in the Grand Island Masonic Lodge F & AM. He was Past Master twice and a member of the Ahmed Temple Shrine and the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. Al was an avid outdoorsman with a passion for brook trout fishing, vegetable gardening, snowmobiling, cutting firewood and hunting. He cared very much about his family and enjoyed spending his time at camp. He and Faye enjoyed square dancing with the Hiawatha Hillbillies, and Al spent a lot of his time doing private masonry work at homes in the community. He volunteered for the Alger County Historical Society, working on the East Channel Lighthouse, and moving the Fur Traders Cabin from Grand Island to the mainland.
Al is survived by three children - Nancy (Jeffrie) Bettinger of Hingham, MA, Steve (Kim) Swanberg of Munising, and John (Arlene) Swanberg of Chatham; grandchildren - Nichole (Kevin "Hubb" Hubbard) Swanberg of Munising, Victoria (Dan) Waugh of Rochester, MN, Jason Marley of Hoffman Estates, IL, Jonathan Bettinger of Hingham, MA, Alexandra Swanberg of Albuquerque, NM, and Jacey Swanberg of Marquette, ; brother - Harold Swanberg of Two Harbors, MN; sister - Dagmar Bovan of Farwell, MI; sister-in-law Elsie Swanberg of Chelsea, MI; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Al was preceded in death by his parents, wife Faye, son Michael in June of 1996, his first wife Olive Radloff, brothers Carl (Josephine), Conrad "Bertel", and Robert Swanberg, and sister - Hanna "Vera" Gable.
Visitation will be at the Bowerman Funeral Home on Friday evening from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. A Masonic service will be held at 7:00 p.m. There will also be visitation at the United Methodist Church in Munising on Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Pastor Irene White will conduct Allen's service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising.