Ann Courtney Harrell Swenson

Ann Courtney Harrell Swenson passed away on January 18, 2006. She was born December 1, 1934 to David Harrell Jr. and Victoria Matthews Harrell. Ann, a 4th generation Austinite, loved family, friends, all animals (particularly cats), flowers, art, and Port Aransas, Texas, where she vacationed with Pat Robinson Tyler’s family for many happy years. Ann attended Austin Public schools, including Pease School and Austin High School. In 1952, Ann went away to Mt. Vernon Jr. College in Washington D.C. for 2 years, and returned to attend the University of Texas as an art major. She was a member of PI BETA PHI Sorority, a former member of the Jr. League of Austin, where she served on the board for two years. For 28 years she was owner of Ann Swenson Landscaping. The first seven years of her business was a partnership with lifelong friend Pat Tyler. An artist, Ann had several local exhibits of her paintings, many of which sold to friends and fellow Austinites. Ann was preceded in death by her daughter, Courtney Swenson, her husband, Willie G. Swenson Jr., sister in law Thelma Dee Swenson and brother in law Stanley Swenson, both of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is survived by her son Will G. Swenson III, brother David Harrell III, her late husbands daughter’s Johnie Swenson Whisman of Port Aransas & Adriane Swenson Straus and her daughter Jessica Straus and son Jack Straus of New Canaan, CT, her brother in law Eugene Swenson of Stamford, TX, and by her pets “Too Big”, “MaryBelle” and “Deniro”, along with many loved friends. Special thanks to Dr. Frierson-Stroud, Hanan, Kaki, and Rosemary, whose love and care embraced all of us everyday. Ann had a connection to those friends at Casa de Luz, and Dr. Ellen Smith and her nurse Jatanna at the Southwest Regional Cancer Center, and her friends at Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd where she was a member for 58 years, and is grateful to Hospice of Austin, and Suzanne Jenkins. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 21, 2005 at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Pallbearers included Lew Little, Chris Perry, Russ Johnson, Loyd Regan, Juan Navarro, and Ryan Perry. Honorary pallbearers include Roger Joseph, Jim Swearingen, Ben Looney, Charles Sikes, Hank McNamara, Louis Nicholson, Ronnie Tynes, Keene Ferguson & Gris Rogers. Donations to the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Hospice of Austin, Animal Trustees of Austin, and Ovarian Cancer Research. Obituary and guestbook on line at wcfish.com