Helen Swanson

Memorial Services for Helen L. Swanson will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Reverend Dr. W. Kirwin Stewart, Jr. officiating. Private Family Burial will take place prior to the service at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege.

Helen Leon Swanson, 97 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away at Holdrege Memorial Homes in Holdrege on Thursday, April 6, 2017. Helen was born January 30, 1920 in Woodruff, Kansas, the eldest of six children born to Frank Clarence and Blanche L. (Boatman) Davis. She received her primary education and later graduated from the Alma High School with the class of 1938.

On May 1, 1945, Helen was united in marriage to C. Arthur "Art" Swanson. The couple was blessed with three children: Franklin "Dee", James and Patricia. The family made their home in Holdrege where Helen enjoyed staying at home to raise the children. She later worked at the Phelps Memorial Hospital, prior to her retirement.

She and Art attended and raised their family at the First Presbyterian Church in Holdrege and later became members of the First Baptist Church in Holdrege. Helen was active with the Women's Circle at the First Baptist Church. She was a member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Aerie #3132 of Holdrege and Eagles Auxiliary, serving on boards both locally and at state levels. Helen and Art were supporters of the Boys Ranch in Alliance, where she made frequent trips, participated in fund raising and was a "mother figure", to many young men throughout the years.

Helen enjoyed playing cards, especially Pitch. She and Art would play Cribbage over his lunch hour, for a quarter a game, to which she won many of his quarters! Art preceded her in death on January 10, 1998.

Besides her parents and husband; Helen was preceded in death by a son, James A. Swanson on December 27, 2012 and her four sisters: Betty Jo, Ruth Ellen "Bonnie", Eloise and Naomi.

She leaves to celebrate her life: her children, Dee Swanson and wife, Marilyn of Holdrege and Patricia DeCamp of Hudson, Ohio; six grandkids: Mark Swanson and wife, Teresa of Omaha, Nebraska, Cindy Beaman and husband, Doug of Grand Island, Nebraska, James A. Swanson, II of Grand Island, Cheri Swanson of Hastings, Nebraska, Andrea Kinast and husband, Aric of Hudson, Ohio and Christopher DeCamp and fiancé, Stephanie Conover of Charlotte, North Carolina; ten great-grandkids: Craig, Kyle, Cassie, Connor, Dusty, Linzy, Catie, Ben, Sam and Kate; one much anticipated great-great-grandkid in August; her brother, Sherman F. Davis and wife, Kathleen of Gardnerville, Nevada; daughter-in-law, Bev Swanson of Grand Island; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, April 17, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Helen's honor and kindly suggested to the Phelps County Senior Center, the First Baptist Church or the First Presbyterian Church, all of Holdrege.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of arrangements.