Janet Ruth Swanson

She was born July 6, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York, to Russell and Mildred E. Tweed. As a child, Janet lived through the Great Depression, and graduated from Midwood High School just months after the United States entered World War II. She worked for Sperry Gyroscope during WWII to support the war effort, and went on to graduate from Brooklyn College with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.

She married John L. Swanson, a returning Navy Lieutenant, on November 22, 1947, and raised a family in the post-war suburb of Valley Stream on Long Island. She was a devoted mother to her children Lynne, Jhan and Leslie, active in her church, her children’s activities, and in her community as a 4-H Club leader and chair of the Council of 4-H Club Leaders. She enjoyed weekends boating with the family on Oyster Bay, and camping in Upstate New York and up and down the East Coast. Janet loved to sew and worked in consumer testing for Talon, where she tested patterns, and later taught sewing through adult education classes.

In 1983, Janet and John retired to Cape Coral, Florida. Janet discovered a passion for gardening and succeeded in pursuing a Master Gardner designation through the Florida Extension Service. John passed away in 1993, and after a time Janet became close with Chester Little, a longtime friend of theirs who was newly widowed. They made a life together until Chester passed away in 2010.

In her late 80s, Janet moved to Miami Beach. She found new things to do like ride the Miami Beach Trolley around town, exercise at the PAL, and people watch on the Bay Walk. She lived independently but with loving support until age 97, when she moved to Hazel Cypen Tower. There, she made new friends and discovered a love for bingo, Elvis impersonators, ceramics, card making and beading.

Janet embraced each new stage of life with an open mind and an open heart. Her enthusiasm, energy, and curiosity kept her mind sharp and her body in motion.

Janet is survived by her children: Lynne Swanson Keiter of Boca Raton, Florida; Jhan (Ruth) Swanson of Lake Bluff, Illinois; and Leslie Swanson (Jorge) Gonzalez of Miami Beach, Florida; grandchildren Kimberly, Eric, Katie, Michael and Madeleine; and great grandchildren Caleb, Zoe and Owen.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Miami Jewish Health, Hazel Cypen Tower, 5200 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33137.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial gifts be made to:

Miami Jewish Health, support of Hazel Cypen Tower; Dedicate gift: In Memory of Janet R. Swanson https://foundation.miamijewishhealth.org/ways-to-give/give-now/

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden; Comment: Janet R. Swanson https://mbgarden.org/donation/