Allen "Al" D. Swan

Allen Dean Swan, age 92, of Watertown, SD, passed away in his home on Sunday, June 19, 2022.  Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 30, 2022, at Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Watertown.  Rev. Roger Spahr and Rev. Steve Anderson will officiate.  Music will be provided by Daniel Tsukamoto as organist. 

Visitation will be at the Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. and prior to services at the church on Thursday.

Burial will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Watertown.  Military Graveside Honors will be provided by the Codington County Post #17 of the American Legion, Watertown, and the Military Funeral Honors Team of the SD Army National Guard.  Pallbearers will be Dave Fuchs, Orv Gedstad, Al Hendricks, Doug Schooley, Brian DeJong and Al Vanderlaan.

Allen was the second of seven children, born on April 13, 1930, to Elvin and Freda (Fredrickson) Swan in Chicago, IL.  He grew up on a farm between Barron and Rice Lake, WI, and was educated in a one-room school house for his early education.  He attended high school in Barron, WI, and participated in band and football.  He faced some physical challenges during his sophomore year when he contracted polio, and had to be hospitalized for nearly half the year.  After graduating from high school, he attended college at The Stout Institute (now the University of Wisconsin – Stout) and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Arts Education.  He was engaged to Lydia Janke and had fall wedding plans, but ‘Uncle Sam’ had other plans that summer, and he was drafted into the Army.  However, Allen and Lydia proceeded with their wedding plans before Allen had to ship out for the Korean Conflict.   

Upon his safe return from Korea and discharge from the Army, Allen began working for General Mills as a weather balloon testing engineer in Florida and then worked in the main offices in Minneapolis.  In 1958, he moved to Belmond, IA, serving as a plant manager at a soybean processing plant.  In 1966, Allen began his desired career in health care administration.  Administrator positions took the family to Spring Valley, WI, Hillsboro, ND, Hallock, MN, and finally Watertown, SD, where he served as the Jenkin’s Nursing Home Administrator from 1979-1994.   

Allen enjoyed fishing (organizing annual fishing trips to Canada), hunting, golf, and watching all kinds of sporting activities.  Most importantly, he loved his Savior, Jesus Christ, and had a passion to serve.  He led Bible Study groups; served on church boards as a deacon and elder; supported and was engaged in local, national, and worldwide missions; and most importantly, sought to honor the Lord with a life of integrity, compassion, and service to his family, church, and community.  After Lydia passed away from cancer in 1996, Allen began looking for new opportunities to serve.  His love-language is “giving”, so with encouragement from his son, he began making chocolate chip cookies.  One individual can only consume a limited amount these delectable treats, so Allen turned his sights to a larger audience — elementary school children in the schools and church.  The “Cookie Grandpa” emerged as the new, cool guy on the block!  He married Verna Eberhart in 2000 and continued to explore his love for travel, with Alaska and Israel being the pinnacles of his travel experiences.  In his final years, he was best known for his compassionate, warm generosity, hosting a dinner party in his home at least once each week for friends and neighbors.  His genuine spirit of hospitality was evident to all. 

Allen is survived by his sons, Timothy (Julie) Swan of Marshfield, WI, and Phillip Swan of Appleton, WI; his wife, Verna Eberhart; his brothers, Lynn (Adeline) Swan and Lee (Marlys) Swan and sisters, Kay (Mike) Bliss and Patricia (Arvin) Wilson; his grandchildren, Rachel (Kevin) Muramatsu, Benjamin Swan, Jenna Swan, and Kendra (Sam) Warren; and his great-grandchildren, Kalea, Jonas, Emiko, Elias, and Kazuto Muramatsu and Carson, Kaden, and Elsie Warren.

Allen was preceded in death by his wife, Lydia Janke; his parents, Elvin and Freda Swan; his brother, Donald Swan and his sister, Sandra Ryan.  We rejoice that he has been welcomed Home with the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” and is enjoying a time of celebration, being reunited with his loved ones and friends.

In lieu of flowers, we encourage donations be made to The Lydia (Janke ‘48) & Allen D. Swan Scholarship.  About the scholarship (originally set up in memory of Lydia), Allen wrote, “I was brought up to believe that God has blessed all of us with gifts and talents of some kind, and we have a responsibility to share those gifts with others.  My family has a close attachment with Northwestern, and we feel it’s the proper place to honor the Lord, and Lydia’s (and Allen’s) memory, by giving to others so that they can serve the Lord.”  Honoring a legacy.

Checks may be made out to "University of Northwestern St. Paul".  In the check memo:  The Lydia (Janke ‘48) & Allen D. Swan Scholarship (Code: USSW).  Send to University of Northwestern St. Paul, 3003 Snelling Ave N, St. Paul, MN  55113.

Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel  Watertown, Hayti, De Smet and Bryant

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Allen "Al" D. Swan, please visit our floral store.