Geraldine "Gerry" Swenson

Geraldine “Gerry” Swenson, 95 of Fargo formerly of Devils Lake, ND died on Thursday afternoon, June 10, 2010 at the Villa Maria Nursing Home in the loving care of her daughter, granddaughter and Hospice of the Red River Valley. Funeral Services for Gerry will be held on Monday, June 14, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake. Rev. Jeff Nicla, Pastor of St. Olaf Lutheran Church will officiate and burial will be in the Devils Lake Cemetery. Friends may call at the Gilbertson Funeral Home on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until time of service. Serving as Casket Bearers for Gerry will be Mike Haugland, Rodney Wheeler, Roger Wheeler, K. Thor Thompson, Donald Olson and Paul Goulding. Music will be provided by Sarah Nicla, soloist and Lynda Pearson, pianist. Geraldine Gladys Dawson, the loving daughter of Luther and Rose (Kusba) Dawson was born on May 10, 1915 in Devil Lake, ND where she was reared, educated and made her home for many years. She graduated from Devils Lake Central High School with the class of 1933. Geraldine was united in marriage to Glenn R. Swenson on August 4, 1941 at the Episcopal Church in Devils Lake. They established their home in Devils Lake where they lived, worked and raised their daughter. Gerry worked as the secretary of St. Olaf Lutheran Church for many years. Glenn passed away on September 16, 1995 and Gerry moved to Jamestown to be close to her daughter. In 2007, Gerry moved to the Villa Maria Care Center in Fargo to again be near family. Gerry was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church and the WELCA where she was very active and held several offices. She was also very active in the community and in many organizations including the VFW Auxiliary, Elkettes, the Devils Lake Centennial Committee and others and volunteered many hours at the Lake Region Lutheran Home. Gerry was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. When she could, she enjoyed working on all kinds of craft projects, which she would share with her family and friends. Gerry is survived by her daughter, Ruth Ellen Severson of Lake Park, MN; granddaughters, Dawn Ann and her husband, Jim Jauch of Farmington, MN, Kay Marie and her husband, Stephen Beckermann of Fargo and Rebecca Ellen and her husband, Shane Kullman of St. Paul, MN, step-granddaughter, Katelin Lee Severson of Moorhead, MN; great-grandchildren, Joshua and Ethan Jauch; Nora and Julia Beckermann; Amelia and Jens Kullman. Gerry was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Glenn and brothers, Albert and Luther Dawson; son-in-law, Howard Severson.