Ruth A. Swanson

Ruth Swanson, daughter of Harry and Minnie Hill was born February 5, 1919 in Chicago. She passed into the presence of the Lord on November 27, 2010 in Smyrna, Tennessee with her family at her side. Their children are: Karen (Swanson) Bracken, Murfreesboro, TN, formerly of Clermont and the Orlando area and husband, John Bracken; Barbara (Swanson) Walker and Steve Walker of Quarryville PA. The grandchildren are Rachel and John B. Bracken, fiance, Nadia Mercer, Liz (Walker) and David DeSanto, and Matthew Walker.

A native Chicagoan, she attended public school and college in that city. She had a degree in business from Central YMCA College (now Roosevelt University) and one of her first jobs was teaching bookkeeping at Kelly H.S. Chicago. She married Carl Swanson in 1942. She returned to college to seek an Elementary Education certification and taught in the Chicago school system until her retirement in 1975. She and Carl moved to Crystal River, Florida.

It was their home until they moved to the Orlando area in 2001. Ruth was able to continue part time work as a teacher at the local votech and enjoy her hobbies of reading and fishing with her husband Carl. They became members of the Coast Guard auxiliary and served the Crystal River area. Carl Swanson, her husband, preceded her in death in 2002.

Ruth, or Cookie, as she was known as a girl, had special gift of being able to write. Her love of writing was reflected first as a teacher, then in letters to elected officials, and finally a collection of her wit, wisdom and testimony in The Wit and Wisdom of Grandma Ruth that she published with the help of her daughter, Karen Bracken. We include a letter that prefaced the book. In her own words....

Beloved Children,,

Each of you has contributed something to my life and I appreciate

that. I would like to share the faith I have to help me daily while I

can still express myself. I am blessed immeasurably by the love of

God, the gift of Christ, family. friends, church and material blessings.

To me, God is omnipotent, all powerful, omniscient, all knowing,

omnipresent, always present. He is my loving Father and I am His child.

Jesus last words before ascending into heaven was that his followers

should go into all the world and spread the gospel, and that He is with

us even to the end of the world. These writings are a part of my

attempt to do that.

What if I'm wrong? I have lived a good, happy and useful life. If

I'm right ( and I know that I am), I'll enter the most glorious place

ever imagined. If you choose to try my way one start is to do as Paul

told the Philippians. (quotes Phil 4: Fix our thoughts on what is

true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and

lovely and amiable. Think about things that are excellent and

worthy of praise. In Romans 8:39, Paul says " for I am sure that

neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities,nor things

present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth nor

anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God in

Jesus Christ our Lord."

May the Lord bless you and keep you, may He make his face to shine

upon you and be gracious unto you may he lift his countenance upon you

and give you peace. Amen

Love in Jesus" Name,

Ruth

A memorial celebration will be held on Friday, December 17, 2010, 3:00 p.m. at the Oakland Presbyterian Church.

281 Oakland Avenue, Oakland, FL

In lieu of flowers, a memorial gift may be sent to the Oakland Presbyterian Church, Children and Youth Fund.