Obituary of Helen Swanson

Helen Irene Swanson Mrs. Swanson, 80, of Charlotte died at Asbury Care Center on Friday, November 11, 2011. Helen was born September 19, 1931, in Dodge City, KS daughter of the late John and Irene Somers Carter. She grew up in Kansas and Chicago, IL and graduated from Hirsch High School class of 1948. Helen studied for two years at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Helen married Robert Carl Swanson in Flossmoor Community Church in Flossmoor, IL on November 29, 1952 and in 2010, the couple celebrated their fifty eighth wedding anniversary. The couple lived in several cities before settling in Charlotte in 1965. Helen was very active in the community serving as an Organizer and Trainer for Girl Scouts Hornets Nest Council for many years. She was an active member and Sunday school teacher at Sardis Presbyterian Church, for 45 years. Mrs. Swanson was also the holder of the Kiwanis International George F. Hixson Fellowship and the recipient of the B?nai B?rith Anti Defamation Service award in 1970. Surviving in addition to her husband are her son, Ralph Swanson and fiancé, Patti Boles of Charlotte, NC; daughters, Cindy Ragan and husband, Paul, of Woodland Park, CO, Lynda Luttrell and husband, Pat, of Macon, GA and Cheryl Stephenson and husband, Michael, of Greenville, NC; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, nephew Mark Miller and his wife Helen, of Chicago, IL; niece Susan Lind and her husband Alan, of Indianapolis, IN and special family friend Allison Hand, of Charlotte, NC. The family thanks the staff of Asbury Care Center and Sunrise on Providence for the excellent care and attention given to Helen and the family for the past three and a half years. A service to celebrate her life will be held 2:00 PM Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at Sardis Presbyterian Church with Interment following in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening, November 15, 2011 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Hankins & Whittington Funeral Service. Memorials may be made to Mecklenburg Kiwanis Charities Inc., PO Box 33573, Charlotte, NC 28233 or Carolina District Kiwanis Foundation, Stan Perry, Sec/Treas PMB321, 10120 Two Notch Road, STE 2, Columbia, SC 29223.