Donald Sidney Swanberg, 89

Donald Sidney Swanberg “went into the arms of his heavenly father” on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, in Whitefish. He was in the care of staff at Whitefish Rehabilitation and staff at Frontier Hospice this past year. 

He was born April 2, 1924, in a cabin on Lake Five, the eldest son of Sidney and Vivian Swanberg. He spent his youth there. His senior year was spent in Elk, Wash., helping his grandparents with their farm. He graduated from Riverside High School.

Don worked on the Aleutian Islands for a year before going off to serve his country in World War II. He was in the Marines in Bougainville, Midway and the Philippines as an aircraft mechanic. Returning back to the valley, he worked on the construction of Hungry Horse Dam and started his career in the lumber industry at Rex Brown’s in Coram and Plum Creek, where he worked for 30 years as a lumber grader before his retirement. Don liked mechanical work and was always working on vehicles, lawnmowers, etc.

Don married the love of his life, Constance June Mendenhall, on Aug. 20, 1950, and loved and cared for her until her death in March of 2009.  They had a wonderful time traveling to Israel, Hawaii, Canada and all over the U.S. Don loved to dance and he and Connie would dance whenever they had the chance. He enjoyed family times picking huckleberries, ice fishing, buying a backhoe at the age of 84 and blazing new trails at Lake Five.  

Don was preceded in death by his wife, Connie Swanberg; brother, Cliff Swanberg; and sisters, Betty Gillett and Bonnie Jean Wheeler. 

Don is survived by his three children, Steve Swanberg, Aurelia Craig and husband Pat, and Vivian Atkinson and husband Jim, all of Kalispell; brother, Ted, and wife, Pat, of Lake Five; and 19 nieces and nephews.  He had the joy of welcoming into the world six grandchildren, Crystal Boyd, Jason Gronley, Wendy Helm and husband Ryan, Brendan Craig and wife Karyn, Amy Craig, and Katie Meredith and husband Jeff. He has an added layer of great-grandchildren, Miranda, Alisha and Hunter Boyd, Weston, Cameron and Dawson Gronley, Porter and Presley Craig and Jack and Patrick (due any day) Meredith.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home, 525 South Main Street.  

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Don’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences share memories and to sign Don’s guest book.