Avis Surene Swenson

Funeral services for Avis Swenson will be held Saturday January 16 at 11:00 AM at Christ Lutheran Church in Zumbrota. The Reverend Wayne Schoch will officiate. Mrs. Swenson, 80, of Zumbrota died Wednesday January 13, 2021 surrrounded by her family at her home in Zumbrota following a battle with cancer. Visitation will be Friday 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Larson Chapel, in Zumbrota, and the visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday. Burial will follow at Zumbrota Cemetery. Wearing masks will be required at all events, and social distancing is encouraged.  For those unable to attend, livestreaming will be available from Christ Lutheran Church's streaming services.

Avis Surene (Johnson) Swenson was born December 23, 1940 in Belle Creek Township, Minnesota, the daughter of Carl and Margaret (Simonson) Johnson. She was baptized January 26, 1941, also in Belle Creek Township, by the Reverend T.E. Kock, and she was confirmed July 25, 1954 at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Minneola Township, by the Reverend Carl Mischke. She was also married at this church to Howard Odell Swenson on May 5, 1962 by the Reverend Nathan Retzlaff. Born to Howard and Avis were 4 children, Julie, Ronald, Richard, and Mark.

Avis lived in Zumbrota all her life. She was a graduate of Zumbrota High School. Later in life she graduated from Minnesota Riverland Technical College as General Secretary. She worked at the Zumbrota Farmers Security State Bank 3 years, Zumbrota Nursing Home as a Nursing Assistant 12 years, IBM 1 year, West Publishing House 6 years, and Secretary for Christ Lutheran School 15 years.

She is survived by her children, Julie Swenson, Ronald (Lynn) Swenson, Richard (Jill) Swenson, and Mark (Jenny) Swenson; 4 granddaughters Megan (Derek) Melhouse, Allie (Adam) Peine, Abigail Swenson and fiance Jordan Ebeling, and Ava Swenson; and a great-granddaughter Winslow Melhouse. Also surviving are Avis’s sister LaVonne (Lyle) Scharpen, 2 brothers-in-law the Reverend Donald (Marlene) Swenson, Howard Myran, and a sister-in-law Gloria Swenson, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Preceding Avis in death are her parents, her husband Howard in 1995, and 4 sisters Elaine Long, Alvera Johnson, Marlis Buchholtz, and Jurene Myran; a daughter-in-law Lisa Swenson, and 4 brothers-in-law Leslie Long, Delano Buchholtz, Merlin Amundson, and Arnold Swenson, Jr.

If so desired, memorials may be directed to Christ Lutheran School in Zumbrota or Red Wing Hospice.