Gladys I. Swenson

Gladys Ilene Swenson, 98, of Rockford, passed away Monday, May 4, 2020 at Anam Care
Assisted Living Facility. Thank you to all the staff at Anam Care and Serenity Hospice for
making her last years special.

Gladys was born February 26, 1922 in Rockford, daughter of Nels Elof Nelson and
Marion “Marie” Gladys Roberts. She attended Rockford High School where she met and
fell in love with Arnold B. Swenson. They were married in Dubuque, IA on January 15,
1940. She was a longtime member of Bethesda Covenant Church where she was active
in the Rachel Circle and volunteered her time for many church activities. In her later
years, Gladys attended Old Stone Church in Rockton, where she joined their Bible Study
group. She loved helping others and volunteered her time as a judge for precinct polling
places. She also believed in helping animals and took in stray pets and once nursed a
sparrow back to health. Gladys enjoyed bowling, china painting, gardening, reading, and
learning, but her greatest joy was spending time with her family and friends. She will be
dearly missed.

Those left to honor Gladys’s memory include her children, Bruce (Nancy) Swenson of St.
Augustine, FL, Bonnie (Bill) Nelson of The Villages, FL, Brad (Sandee) Swenson of Stevens
Point, WI and Belinda Farrell of Caledonia, IL; grandchildren, Shelli (John) West of Green
Cove Springs, FL, Shane (Laura) Swenson of Louisville, KY, Tyler (Emily) Hamilton of
Sachse, TX, Terra (Dan) Machande of Lady Lake, FL, Jenni (Phil) Corbett of Portsmouth,
NH, Jessi (Eric) Knuth of Parker, CO, Jake (Hanna) Swenson of Madison, WI, Brendan
Farrell of Chicago, IL, Bria Farrell of Rockford, IL, and Greg Nelson of Belvidere, IL; great-
grandchildren, Garrett and Gage West of Green Cove Springs, FL, Lindsi (Nick) Dreger of
St. Augustine, FL, Logan Swenson of Cincinnati, OH, Lucas Swenson of Austin, TX,
Edmond and Elliott Hamilton of Sachse, TX, Kyle and Kody Machande of Lady Lake, FL,
Austin and Cadel Corbett of Portsmouth, NH and Levi Knuth of Parker, CO; one great-
great-granddaughter, Riley Paige Dreger; sister-in-law, Elaine Swenson and numerous
nieces and nephews. Gladys is predeceased by her parents and husband, Arnold.

Private family services will be held. Final resting place will be in Scandinavian Cemetery.

Arrangements entrusted to Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, 1860 S. Mulford Rd.
Rockford, IL 61108. Share online memories and condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com