Eleanor Ruth Swartz

Eleanor Ruth ("Penny") Swartz, age 87 of Grafton, ND passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013 at the Lutheran Sunset Home of Grafton after living a full life of serving others. Eleanor was born on Nov. 5, 1925, the middle daughter of Wilmer and Myrtle (Johnston) Neilson. She grew up on her parents' farm located about four miles east of Hoople in Glenwood Township. Eleanor graduated from Hoople High in 1943. Following graduation from Macalester College, St. Paul, MN in 1947, she returned to the home place and was a teacher and principal for two years at Hoople High School. On June 9, 1950 Eleanor became the bride of EuGene ("Gino") Swartz, and family and friends knew she was his "beautiful redhead". The couple initially lived in Grand Forks until they purchased the Dairy Queen in Grafton in 1954. They raised four children: Tom, Cathy, Don and Susan. As her faith in Jesus Christ was an integral part of her life, Eleanor was an active member of the Grafton Federated Church and its choir, Ladies Aide and Women's Missionary. She also enjoyed being a member of her PEO Sisterhood, Chapter X; AAUW; the Mizpah Chapter of Eastern Star and was a special education teacher at the Grafton Developmental Center until her retirement in 1987. She loved playing bridge and was a faithful visitor to residents of the Sunset Home for 45 years. Eleanor moved into the Sunset Home Leisure Estates in September 2011 and into the Sunset Home in June 2013. Eleanor is survived by her children Tom (Pat) of Orlando, FL; Cathy (Ted) Daley of Bakersfield, CA; Don (Mari) of Grafton; Susan (Don) Shuley of Grafton; and stepson Gene Moore of Brunswick, Georgia; Grandchildren: Will and Stefan Swartz, Jordan Denny, Sami Swartz, and Cortney and Kimberly Shuley; Step-grandchildren Ryan, Joseph and Paul Daley and Andrea Daley Hanson; Great-Granddaughter Brynlee Burley and a soon-to-be born Great-Grandson; sister Merle Fedje of Grafton; sister-in-law Jane Swartz of Biwabik, MN as well as numerous very special nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Gene, her parents Wilmer and Myrtle, sister Bette Treumann, brothers-in-law Manville Treumann and Paul Fedje, and son-in-law Fred Denny. A celebration of Eleanor's life will be held at the Federated Church, Grafton, ND at 11:00 AM on Monday, September 23, 2013. Visitation will be on Sunday, September 22 from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM at the Lutheran Sunset Home Chapel and from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Tollefson Funeral Home in Grafton. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 PM following the visitation at the Tollefson Funeral Home. Friends may also call at the church on Monday one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at the Crescent Cemetery in Grafton. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Grafton Federated Church, the Lutheran Sunset Home or Altru Hospice.