Johann "Swede" Swenson

Johann H. “Swede” Swenson, 86, of Chippewa Falls, died peacefully at Wissota Place Assisted Living in Chippewa Falls, on Tuesday, September 14, 2021.

Swede was born on September 30, 1934, to Johann Sr. & Leona (Paulson) Swenson, on the family farm in Waseca Minnesota. He graduated from Owatonna High School with the class of 1951. At age 16, he started college at Augsburg in Minneapolis. At 18, he was drafted into the Army and was deployed with post WWII forces to Stuttgart Germany where his main job was playing baseball. After returning from Germany, he went to Mankato and received his bachelors and masters degrees in 1959, and this is where he met the love of his life, Rae Allison Ekern while she was working in the hospital as a nurse. They were married on March 25, 1959.

Swede was a longtime high-school teacher, athletic director, and coach of many basketball, baseball and football teams. He worked Bucks, Blu-Gold, and ran his own basketball camps. Swede also owned and operated the Chippewa Golf Center for 10 years. He was passionate about sports, and an avid bowler and golfer.

He was a faithful member and enjoyed volunteering for activities at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Chippewa Falls.

Swede will be dearly missed by his daughter, Shari (Jamie) Barney of Livingston, MT; sons, Parry (Sandy) of Plymouth, MN and Brady (Katrin) of Schwabisch Hall, Germany; grandchildren, JJ (Kristin) and Johanna Rae Barney, Kallan, Lauren, and Kristen Swenson, and Sky, Lark Johann, and Kailani Rae Swenson; great-granddaughter, Julianne Barney; brother, Dean Swenson; sisters-in-law, Arlene Swenson, Merry Lee (Dennis) Oestreich and Carolyn Schroeder; along with many cousins and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Rae, in 2020; sister, Mary (Max) Schaeffer; and brother, Paul.

The memorial service to celebrate Swede’s life will be held at 12 noon on Friday, September 24, 2021 at Pederson-Volker Funeral Chapel, Chippewa Falls with a visitation one hour prior to the service at the chapel. Rev. Karen Behling, of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, will be officiating. The funeral will be livestreamed at www.pedersonvolker.com/obituary/JohannSwede-Swenson

Following the service, all are welcome to join the family for light picnic, refreshments and fellowship at Irvine Park at the Knights of Pythias shelter just inside the Bridgewater St. entrance.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Boys and Girls Club of the Chippewa Falls, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church or donor’s choice.