Louise Elaine Swanberg, 65

Louise Swanberg, M.D., died suddenly in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Dec. 2, 2014, from a sudden-onset acute infection. She resided in Kalispell and during summers lived at her orchard in Lakeside on Flathead Lake.

Anyone who knew Louise recognized her as a woman with an unrelenting passion for life and its adventures, an avid storyteller (with an endearing tendency toward creative embellishment), and a singular personality — “quirky” might be one of the most accurate adjectives to describe her. She was a brilliant and compassionate doctor and she cultivated a widespread range of hobbies, including jewelry-making, various athletic pursuits and a wide-range of social engagements, often accompanied by her creative cocktails. She deeply loved and enjoyed her family and her friends. 

Louise was born in Wichita, Kansas, on Aug. 29, 1949, and grew up in Kalispell. She was the daughter of Delores and Alfred Swanberg, M.D. Following high school, Louise spent a year in Switzerland as an exchange student through the American Field Service (AFS). Her Swiss host sister, Heidi, became one of Louise’s dearest friends. Louise attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado, where she met her husband, Tom Colyer. They married three years after meeting and would share a life of committed partnership, adventure and mutual heckling.  

Louise had learned to love medicine as a consequence of observing her dad's medical practice and decided that she wanted to become a doctor. She attended medical school at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Following graduation, she and Tom moved to Washington, D.C., where Louise did her internship and residency at the George Washington University Medical Center. Following residency, Louise joined the medical faculty as head of the Internal Medicine Residency Program.

After having their first child, Adam, in 1984, Louise and Tom returned to the Flathead Valley and joined her father at the Woodland Clinic, and also became a member of the Kalispell Regional Medical Center staff, becoming one of the first female doctors in Kalispell. In 1986, they welcomed their second child, Christy. Over the course of her medical career, she received numerous awards, served as Chief of Staff at KRMC, and at the time of her death, was serving on the Board of Directors at the hospital. 

In addition to her impressive career, Louise was a woman of numerous passions and interests, and seemingly unlimited talent. She loved reading, photography, gardening, playing the piano, skiing and running, learning new languages, and anything that involved organizing. She loved traveling to new places, and most recently spent two weeks with Tom and two friends in Croatia.  

Perhaps one of her most defining traits was Louise’s knack for “creative” storytelling. And as with most good storytellers, she exercised a considerable amount of creative license in her recounting of past events. Regardless of whether her story reflected factual events, one couldn't help but be drawn into the scenario, since it was recounted with such vivid imagery and enthusiasm and the inevitable laughter that was central to her storytelling. Her enthusiasm for her material was contagious. 

She was a key member of the Flathead Valley's community, with a wide circle of friends and commitments to various organizations. For many years she was the local coordinator of AFS, helping to facilitate the foreign exchange program. She participated in numerous hiking and cross-country ski trips with her girlfriends, (on one of these trips, she brought along a large bag of makeup and convinced everyone into giving each other makeovers), hosted an annual Christmas cookie exchange, and has been a longtime member of a book club comprised of many of her closest friends. 

Louise is survived by her husband, Tom Colyer; son, Adam Colyer and his wife, Jamie, of Seattle; and daughter, Christy Colyer of Minneapolis. She is also survived by siblings, Linda Swanberg of Missoula, and her husband, Gregg Swanberg, Chris Swanberg of Sacramento and his wife, Joni Chenoweth, and Chris' daughters, Katie and Kelly, Shelley Ferkovich of Davis, Calif., and her children, Melissa and Brian, and Jane Marie Law and her husband, Adam Law, M.D., and their children, Sam, Tamar and Hannah.

The memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22 at the Canvas Church, with a reception to follow. 

Arrangements are being handled by the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Kalispell Regional Medical Center, the Humane Society of Northwest Montana or Partners in Health.

Louise’s family would like to offer their sincerest thanks to the KRMC emergency room medical staff for their valiant efforts to save Louise’s life during her medical crisis.