Farewell to my grandfather Robert James Swenson 1924-2012

 Here are a few pictures of my Grandfather Robert James Swenson one was at his home in Grand Junction in 2008, The middle one is a painting and the last one was my Grandfather with my mother Sharon in front a fireplace I think at his home at Snoqualmie behind the adminstration building used be the Snoqualmie school.

December 2, 2012 my mother had told my only living grandfather Robert James friends and family called him Bob Swenson has has passed at age 88.  He was born on June 23, 1924 at Snoqualmie Falls, Washington.  He passed away quietly on December 2, 2012 at the awesome age of 88 at the Veterans Medical Center in Grand Junction, Colorado.  He has two sons named Robert (Bob) and Jim.  He had two daughters named Susan and Sharon.  He had many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.   He graduated from Snoqualmie High School in 1942.  He was briefly involved in World War II.  He married Wanda Thompson on September 1944 for 26 years had four beautiful children by her.  He married Lola Mavis Jamieson Case in 1972 in Port Angeles. He was a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather to many people. One of his favorite songs was Amazing Grace.  He moved to Port Angeles in 1970 lived there till his retirement from the Port Angeles School District in 1989.  He also in the 1970's owned an Exxon gas station.  He worked at Weyerhauser in the late 1940's and 1950's and at Boeing in the 1950's and 1960's.  During his last ten years he was in the Snoqualmie Valley he built a house west of Snoqualmie located on 381st Avenue SE it was built in 1961.  They spent their first Christmas there.  One of the picture is from the inside of the house.  When he was at Weyerhauser at the Snoqualmie Falls plant he overseen the computer automation of the plant.  He also was responsible for keeping the Snoqualmie United Methodist Church stove heated before during and after service so church members could get warm in the 1950's. He was also the church volunteer custodian and he believe in doing this for people and he refused to take money for his good deeds which I also have this same quality.  He was always treating his children and grandchildren with respect.  I also remember him making homemade ice cream with rock salt this was a Swenson trait because Grand Uncle George would do it to.  We were very close.  He was the son of Ralph Johan Swenson and Hazel Staurt one of seven children. He had three brothers named Stewart (Stu), George, Ralph and three sisters named Irene, Grace and Trudy.  Only Trudy is the only sister living and all of the rest of his brothers and sister have passed on already.  He was preceded by his grandchild Matthew Swenson who passed away in 1976 and his still born great grandchild Richard Alban Marion my first born nephew passed away in 1996.  He had when his closest brother Grand Uncle George passed away on September 1991.  I remember him and Dave Battey squeezing me tightly at the Swenson Farm.  It was like he lost his best friend when he lost his brother George.  I am going to enclosed a couple of pictures of him. I am the oldest son of Sharon Yakanak his youngest daughter.  You know every since his death I have a new perspective on foul language he also use to say that if cuss that is the language of the devil.  He was a devoted Christian my friend.  Here is a recent picture of a brick dedicated to him