Lois Marjorie Swanson

Lois Marjorie Swanson, born December 29, 1922 at 11:00pm died Sunday, March 24, 2019 at 6:15am. She was born to Grace and Ray Palmer in Woonsocket, South Dakota, where she lived and went through high school. She was Valedictorian of her high school class and was an accomplished pianist, and violinist in the school orchestra. She also played the bass drum in the school band. She graduated from South Dakota State College with a degree in Home Economics, and a minor in music. She was first violinist in the college orchestra. She married her college sweetheart, Donald Swanson soon after graduating. They were married in Boston, Mass. on June 8, 1944, while he was waiting for his ship to be repaired in dry dock during World War II. When he went off to fight in the Pacific, she went to her first teaching job in Gettysburg, So Dak, at the local high school, teaching cooking and sewing. When the war was over, they moved to San Diego, California in 1946, where Don went to San Diego State College on the GI Bill, studying physics and math and she taught tailoring and sewing in the adult education system. All of their children were born in San Diego, Teri (Sam), Connie and Rick. Don worked for Convair/General Dynamics in aerospace and defense. As a result, they moved to Pomona, California, Huntsville, Alabama, San Diego again and back to Pomona/Claremont during his career. In 2011 they moved back to Sand Diego to be near Teri. Lois always kept her career going in teaching and music throughout their marriage. She always became the choir director in every church they attended and always taught tailoring and sewing in the adult education system. She had her own sewing business in her home in Claremont. She also taught piano lessons to many youngsters throughout her life. And she taught all of her granddaughters how to sew. Their daughter Connie gave them three granddaughters, Laura Martin, Gaea Moore and Lynn Schwaebe. Their children/great-grandchildren are Thomas, James and Jessica Martin; Miles and Makaela Moore and Josephine Fecteau-Schwaebe. When Don retired, they traveled extensively and both took up writing as a hobby/vocation, documenting their travels and other family affairs. Lois authored many children’s books designed to help struggling readers for her daughter, Teri’s reading program. She also developed workbooks to match the materials in those little decodable books. And she started her own in-home publishing company to sell these products to other interested professionals. She also wrote piano teaching material for young students. She wrote and published a fictional book honoring her mother’s life. And she was a PEO all her adult life along with her mother and daughter, Teri (Sam). She served as president in PEO Chapter PR in Claremont. Lois and Don were always active in the church they attended, contributing time and talent to their spiritual side of life. They were happily married for 72 years when Don predeceased her in 2017. She is survived by her daughter Teri, son Rick, her 3 granddaughters and 6 great-grandchildren. She will be buried Monday April 8 at 1:00 next to Don at the El Camino Cemetery. A memorial church service will be held Sunday April 7 at 1:00 in the La Jolla Presbyterian Church chapel.