Winton Swenson
Winton G. Swenson, 87, Minot, formerly of the New Town and Charlson, N.D., areas, died Wednesday, June 9, 2010, in a Minot hospital. Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 12, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, Minot, N.D. Visitation was on Friday from 2:00 to 7:30 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m., all at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot. Burial: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot, N.D.
Winton was born Aug. 4, 1922, on the family homestead, near Charlson, N.D., to Simon and Gina (Reierson) Swenson. He attended Hawkeye Grade School near Charlson, and graduated from Sanish High School. Winton attended French’s Business College in Minot, and he also worked as a bookkeeper for the Ward County Independent Paper. He attended Minot State College before enlisting in the United States Army on Dec. 15, 1942. While in the Army, he graduated from Radio School at Fort Knox, Ky., in May of 1943, and attended Texas A&M Military College at College Station, Texas, for aviation cadet training.
Winton participated in the European Theater of Operations during World War II and earned the Bronze Star and Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged on Sept. 14, 1945, and returned home to the farm near Charlson. Winton was very proud of his service and enjoyed his trip to the World War II Memorial in 2003.
Winton married Valdean Wegener on Oct. 24, 1948, in Van Hook, N.D. They moved to New Town, N.D., in 1953 and raised their three children there. Winton was the rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for 30 years in the Van Hook and New Town areas, retiring in 1978. He continued to farm south of New Town during those years. Farming was one of Winton’s greatest joys in life. In November of 1996 they moved to Minot.
Winton was an original owner of Chateau Lanes in Minot. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, the great outdoors, golfing, bowling, and watching Twins baseball. Winton and Valdean enjoyed traveling to California during the winter months for many years to spend time with friends and their daughter, Susan.
He served as Commander of the Charles Beck American Legion Post in Van Hook, and the Beck Sherven Post in New Town. He served on the New Town School Board, was a member of Bethel Lutheran Church in New Town, and more recently was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Minot.
Those who shared in his life, wife, Valdean, Minot; daughter, Susan Swenson, Minot; sons, Scott (Jane) Swenson, Watford City, N.D., and Steve (Anne) Swenson, Billings, Mont.; six grandchildren, Heidi (Chris) Rousseau, Carlton, Minn., Lindsay (Jeremy) Ginter, Lakeville, Minn., Jason (Nadine) Swenson, Golden Valley, Minn., Jon Swenson, Missoula, Mont., Jeff Swenson and Joey Swenson, both of Billings, Mont.; three great-grandchildren, Scott and Spencer Rousseau and Evan Ginter; several nieces and nephews.
Winton was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Sidney and Carroll Swenson; sisters, Adelaide Bottleson, Thelma Anderson and Anne Washburn.
Those wishing to sign the online guest register or share memories of Winton may access the online obituaries at www.thompsonlarson.com
Memorials are preferred to Christ Lutheran Church, Minot, or Bethel Lutheran Church, New Town.