IRENE ELIZABETH CHARLOTTE NAOMI SWANSON, age 87, of Worthington, died Tuesday, August 2, 2011, at the Sanford Regional Hospital in Worthington. She was born March 24, 1924, in Worthington, to Eric and Anna (Nelson) Anderson. Irene graduated from Worthington High School in 1942. She later graduated as a Registered Nurse from the Swedish Hospital School of Nursing in Minneapolis.
Irene married Stanley Swanson on September 4, 1949, at the First Covenant Church in Worthington. The couple farmed in various communities in Iowa and southwest Minnesota. They later moved back to Worthington.
She worked at many different hospitals & clinics including working as an OB-GYN at the Worthington Regional Hospital. Irene was a member of the First Covenant Church in Worthington; the Church Bible Study; and the Manta Food Pantry.
Irene is survived by her husband, Stanley Swanson, Worthington; four children, Tim (Mary) Swanson, Lacey, WA; Becky (David) Frisch, Colorado Springs, CO; Deb (Dan) Colgan, Burnsville; and Sonja (Glenn) Ellingson, Surrey, British Columbia; eleven grandchildren, Marta (Hunter) Vaughn, Britta Swanson, Stephanie (Mark) Leasure, Tony (Cristy) Frisch, Heidi Frisch, Chelsea (Allen) Little, Ellie (fiancée, Marshall Behrens) Colgan, Anna Colgan, Erica (Jamie) Rose, Kristen (Jeremiah) Riter, and Jon Ellingson; ten great grandchildren, Anabel, Dallas, Cody, Tyler, Addison, Jack, Parker, Gavin, Kiley & Naomi; and a sister, Marilyn (Dave) Jensen, Tupelo, MS.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Phil, Paul & Robert Anderson; and an infant brother, Stanley.

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