Oscar A. 'Doc' Swenson, 81

Oscar A. “Doc” Swenson was born on April 15, 1930, in Williston, N.D., to Oscar N. and Iva K. Swenson.

He passed away peacefully on June 23, 2011, after living courageously with Alzheimer's disease.

He was raised in Sidney, graduated from Sidney High School in 1948, joined the Marines, and graduated in pre-med in 1953 from Montana State College in Bozeman. 

In Bozeman he met the love of his life, JoAnn Mooney. They married on Sept. 5, 1953. He attended Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and graduated in 1956. After graduation, they moved to Spokane where he did a one-year internship at Spokane Deaconess Hospital. Following the internship, he began his first family medical practice in Fairview. In 1960, they moved to Sidney where he established his family practice, until moving to Kalispell in 1969 to continue his career, until he retired in 1995.

His accomplishments as a physician were numerous. He was the president of the Montana Academy of General Practice from 1966 to 1967, then the president of the Montana Medical Association from 1969 to 1970. He was instrumental in the establishment of the WAMI program for medical students. His patients would testify that his caring ways guided them through all stages of life and illness.

He enjoyed playing golf and tennis, and loved hunting and dancing. Music has always been an important part of his life, whether playing in the dance band in college or singing in the quartet at Kihei Lutheran Church. Many Friday evenings, Oscar and JoAnn could be found dancing the night away at the Bigfork Inn. In life, he never missed an opportunity to entertain friends and family. He laughed boisterously at everyone's jokes and told many of his own. His faith in God was evident in the way he lived his life. He'll always be remembered for his big smile, his sense of humor and his warm, caring heart. 

He was preceded in death by his father, Oscar; mother, Iva; and brother, Marvin.

He is survived by his loving wife, JoAnn; his children, Kathi Jo and Dave Ebert, and Melanie and Scott Swenson, all of Kalispell, LesliAnn and Randall Finch of Billings, and Patrick Swenson of Bonney Lake, Wash.; his grandchildren, Rebecca, Sara, and Sydney Ebert, Orion Swenson, Shelby and Skyler Finch, and Robert and Joanna Swenson; great-grandchildren, Treymayne and Qordell Swenson; brother, George Swenson of Sidney; and sister, Joan Kringen of Bloomington, Minn. 

A celebration of Oscar's life will be at 2 p.m. June 29 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church with Pastor Mark Gravrock officiating. Private family interment will follow at C. E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be held from noon to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28 in the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Chapel.

Donations may be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Kihei Lutheran Church in Maui, or Home Options Hospice in Kalispell. 

“Until we see Oscar again, he would say, ‘Hang Loose!’”

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Oscar's family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and view Oscar's tribute wall.