Obituary for Arleen Juliette Swensen

Arleen Juliette Grangaard was born April 14, 1919 in Waterville, the first of 4 children to Mabel (Johnson) and Alexander Grangaard. She passed away on Thursday, August 23, 2012 at the age of 93. Walter, Berniece and Adeline all preceded her in death. She grew up to become a star basketball player in school before she left for Waterloo, Iowa to study cosmetology. After completing her study she moved to Decorah, Iowa to work as a beautician until she could buy her own business – The Modern Beauty Salon. While living in Decorah, she met Theodore Swensen, a widower with four children. They married on March 5, 1955. Arleen loved her life in Decorah. She worshiped at the First Lutheran Church and served the congregation on many committees. In addition to the church, she volunteered at the Winneshiek Medical Center; Arleen would whip up a batch of Norwegian cookies or lefse and bring them to nursing centers or to the Nordic Fest where in her Norwegian bunad she''d cheer visitors with a hearty Velkommen. Arleen was a champion golfer at the Oneota Country Club (no surprise, she was also a champion basketball player) and also loved to play bridge. Arleen was the first woman to join the Decorah Elks after her husband died June 25, 1996. She loved her "adopted" family; Alice Swensen, Mary (Avrum) Stroll, Bill (Marlene) Swensen & Ruthie Swensen and their families, as well as her nieces Susan (Robert) Elliott, Shirley (John) Kelly, Pat (Floyd) Bolton, Debbie (Steven) Johnson and Judy (Leo) Chiffon; and her nephews, Gary Johnson, Randy (Mimi) Tatro and Ray Tatro and their families. "Aunt Arleen was a strong, beautiful woman. She had enough love for everyone." She embraced with loving kindness her community as well as her family and will be deeply missed.