Wanda Jean Swanson

Wanda Jean Swanson of La Crosse, WI died on January 17 after a brief bout with cancer. She was born on April 13, 1934, in Junction City, KS. She never knew her biological father, Webster Gugler, because he died in a farming accident before Wanda was born. When Wanda was 5 yrs old, her mother, Maude, married Milton Ruhnke. As the new family was formed, Wanda also gained a new sister, Linda Ruhnke (recently deceased). 

One of the consequences of this remarriage is that young Wanda moved to the rural Kansas farm of her new father. While she loved her new family, she was less a fan of farm life and the associated chores. Always a good student, Wanda escaped the realities of the farm by spending much of her childhood engrossed in books, letting them take her on adventures and worlds of imagination, and her love of reading lasted her entire lifetime. She attended the nearby one room country school through 8th grade, then graduated from Junction City High School. She also participated in 4H and many activities of the close-knit rural community, surrounded by her supportive extended family. She had many happy memories of playing with her sister and nearby cousins, and being loved and cared for by her dear parents. 

Wanda attended the University of Kansas, in Lawrence, KS, where she met a young graduate student, Harold Swanson. According to Harold, he fell in love during their first conversation, and they shared that love (and SO many great conversations) every day until he died three years ago. Nine days after graduation, they married, and soon after sailed to Norway, where Harold had a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the University of Oslo. The new couple spent their first year of marriage living in Norway. Neither of them had ever been outside of the United States, and had hardly even traveled within the U.S., so it was quite the adventure in 1955 to live and travel in a Europe that was in the early stages of recovering from WWII. 

Upon returning to the US, they landed in Knoxville, TN, where Harold completed his Ph.D. degree. Wanda got a job teaching High School English and coaching the school plays. Their first child, Kristin, was born in Tennessee. Upon completion of his degree, Harold got a job as a professor at Drake University. They moved their little family to Des Moines, Iowa in 1960, where they had two more children, Mark and Celia. In Des Moines, they joined First United Methodist Church and developed deep, life-long friendships with the other married couples in their Sunday School class. Wanda found a loving community of friends and faith there, but also developed and nurtured passionate interests and causes through the church. She served as President of the United Methodist Women and for many years she was in charge of the church’s annual church basement sale. She also spearheaded a team at the church that recognized the need for a place for working mothers to leave their children, so they developed the first

daycare in downtown Des Moines, housed in the church. For many years, she got to live out a small part of her dream of being an editor by writing and editing the church's newsletter. Wanda was a wonderfully supportive mother, leading her children’s scouting groups, sewing clothes and doll clothes, helping with school projects, and organizing the family. After her children were older, she worked professionally as an administrative assistant for the owner of a small oil production company and an editor for several Drake professors.

Wanda and Harold were strong supporters of Planned Parenthood, served meals at homeless shelters, attended the local theater, were devoted members of Civic Music and other classical music organizations, loved exploring art and culture museums all over the world, and instilled an ethic of community service and a love of the arts and world travel in all of their children.

Nearly every summer, they would pack up the pop-up-tent-trailer and drive the family out west to camp for two or three weeks. All three of Wanda and Harold’s children share many wonderful memories of being in the beauty of our National Parks and National Forests: going hiking, canoeing on lakes, splashing in mountain streams, going to Ranger talks and hikes, making and eating meals outside around the campfire, and singing and playing games together as a family. All of these wonderful trips made the family bond even closer. 

Once Harold retired from Drake, Wanda could indulge her dreams of seeing the world. They traveled to six continents and all fifty states. And they combined their love for travel and nature with their love for their family when they took the whole family – kids, spouses, and grandkids - to Costa Rica and Tanzania. Her last trip was out to Seattle to meet her newest great-granddaughter in August. At 90 years old, she navigated the travel there and back, solo. 

In 2015, Wanda and Harold moved to La Crosse, WI. Wanda stayed engaged in many activities at Eagle Crest South Retirement Community and at First Congregational UCC. She was a loving caregiver for her husband and her sister during their chronic illnesses. 

Wanda was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, her parents, Milton and Maude Ruhnke, and her sister, Linda Ruhnke.

She is survived by her three children, Kristin Swanson (Alan Hecht) of La Crosse, WI; Mark Swanson (Nancy Schoenberg) of Vashon, WA; and Celia Swanson of St. Paul, MN. She is also survived by grandchildren Nathan, David (Abby Sterling) and Karin Hecht, and Rachel Hardebeck (Emerson) and Benjamin Swanson, and two great grandchildren (Orren Hecht and Madrona Hardebeck). A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Memorials may be directed to First Congregational UCC (firstcongolax.org), the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra (lacrossesymphony.org) or Planned Parenthood (plannedparenthood.org).