Glen Lloyd Swanson

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Swanson, Glen Lloyd Glen L. Swanson, age 92, of Watertown, Minnesota passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 13, 2018. He was preceded in death by his parents, Philip and Myrtle Swanson, and by three of his brothers, Gerald, Dean and Lyle. He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Betsy; by his brother, Russell (Lois) Swanson of Elk River, Minnesota; by his two children, Jay Swanson (Ellen Doll) of Minneapolis and Kathleen Swanson (Kenneth Guenthner) of Corcoran, Minnesota; by his four grandchildren, Madeline Swanson of New York, New York, Isabella Swanson of Charlotte, North Carolina, George Guenthner of Minneapolis and Guy Guenthner of Minneapolis; and by many nieces and nephews and friends. Glen grew up on a farm in Spring Lake, Minnesota, and served in the U.S. Navy (primarily as an Ensign aboard the U.S.S. Palau) after graduation from North Branch High School in 1943. He met Betsy while later attending the University of Minnesota on the G.I. Bill. He received a B.S. in Chemistry from the Institute of Technology of the University of Minnesota in 1949, and Glen and Betsy were married later that year. Above all else, he loved Betsy and their children. Glen was a gifted chemist and businessman. After graduating from college, he spent the first part of his career in the Chemical Division of Archer Daniels Midland Company, where he worked in the laboratory perfecting industrial coatings products. In 1970, Glen joined H.B. Fuller Company, and founded and led the Powder Coatings Division of H.B. Fuller. He later retired as a Vice President of H.B. Fuller. Having grown up during the Great Depression, Glen was (to put it mildly and kindly) frugal. However, this trait did not prevent him from generously financing the undergraduate educations of Jay and Kathleen at the liberal arts colleges of their choice as well as funding their post-graduate professional school educations. Glen also provided significant financial support to pay for the undergraduate educations of his four grandchildren. Throughout his life, he loved the University of Minnesota, and was an avid fan of the Gopher football and men's and women's basketball teams (the Twins and Vikings were not far behind). Glen was a proud third-generation American who relished in his Swedish and Norwegian heritage and made several trips to Sweden and Norway to visit his relatives in these countries. Glen also enjoyed the outdoors, and spent some of his happiest times with Betsy at the house on the North Shore of Lake Superior that they built. His family is grateful to the loving caregivers at Lake Minnetonka Shores Presbyterian Home for the support and comfort they provided Glen in his final months. A memorial service for Glen will be held at 11:00 a.m. on August 17 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 513 Madison Street Southeast, Watertown, Minnesota 55388. Memorials are preferred to the University of Minnesota Foundation.

Published on June 10, 2018