WILBUR SWENSON obituary

John "Wilbur" Swenson, 83, retired school administrator, principal and teacher, died Thursday, Oct. 2, 2003, at a Havre care facility of natural causes.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the First

Lutheran Church in Havre with the Revs. Brad Ulgenes and Catherine Card officiating. A fellowship

reception will follow the service.

Cremation has taken place. There will be a private family interment.

Wilbur was born on Sept. 6, 1920, to John D. and Clara A. (Hammer) Swenson in Flaxville. He grew up in Flaxville and graduated from Flaxville High School in 1938. He then furthered his education at Northern Montana College and then at the University of Montana.

He returned to Havre where he met Margaret Jabes. The couple was married May 18, 1945, in Joplin, Montana. The couple spent the rest of their lives together in Havre except for one year in Helena. He taught at the Devlin School, Havre Junior High School, and Havre High School. He then served as the Hill County Superintendent of Schools. He taught one year at the Bryant School in Helena and returned to Havre to serve as principal at the Havre Junior High School. After retiring from the school system, he worked for the First National Bank.

John was very active in Kiwanis Club, Montana Education Association, Retired Teachers, AARP, Elementary and Secondary Principals, The Governor's Council on Aging, and the Blue Horizons-Good Sam Club. Even while being so active in community service he found time to square dance.

John was preceded in death by his parents, John and Clara (Hammer) Swenson; brother, Evan Swenson.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret (Jabes) Swenson of Havre; sons, Lowell (Karen) Swenson of Havre and Bruce Swenson of Havre; sister, Mary Helen (Glenn) Heilman of Havre; and brother Keith (Marlene) Swenson of Havre; and two grandchildren, Geoff Swenson of Washington, D.C., and Carly Swenson of Havre.

Memorials in Wilbur's honor may be made to The First Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 66, Havre, MT 59501; the Senior Citizens Center, 2 West Second St., Havre, MT 59501; or to a person's choice.

Services and arrangements are under the direction of Holland and Bonine Funeral Home of Havre.