Lyle Gordon Swanson

Lyle Gordon Swanson, of Chaska, Minnesota, passed away at his home, with the love of his life by his side, on September 29, 2025, at the age of 88. He was born October 31, 1936, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Oscar G. Swanson and Anna M. Glein Swanson. Lyle graduated from Princeton High School in 1954. He spent his school years working on the farm and wooing Bonnie, his high school sweetheart. While Lyle grew up on a farm and did his fair share of farm chores, farming was never in his blood. After graduation, Lyle served in the Minnesota National Guard for eight years and worked at United Van Bus. In 1968, three days after starting a new job at Old Dutch, Chrysler offered Lyle a job. That started a 31-year career with Chrysler until he retired in 1999 as a Technical Advisor. On November 23, 1956, Lyle married Bonnie Mae Lund at Our Lady of Grace Church in West Sacramento, California. While work and retirement found Lyle and Bonnie living in several different states, they always called Minnesota home. They welcomed and raised three children and enjoyed almost 69 years of marriage. Lyle was proud of his children and grandchildren and found great joy in watching them grow, spending time with them and attending their events when they were able. He and Bonnie traveled, sometimes extensively. During their time in Phoenix, they enjoyed welcoming visitors into their home where they could share the beauty of Arizona with their family and friends. While living in St. Charles, Illinois, Lyle served as Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. He led an active troop through many adventures and projects, highlighted by a special and unforgettable trip with several members of the troop, including his son, Mark, to the top of Baldy Mountain (highest peak in the Cimarron Range at 12,441 feet) in the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. In addition to Scouts, Lyle stayed active golfing, playing racquetball, camping, hiking, swimming, and cycling. Lyle was also happy to stay home reading, chasing Bonnie around fulfilling the social calendar, traveling with Bonnie and the kids and spending time with extended family. For a few years after moving back to Minnesota, Lyle and Bonnie enjoyed spending winters in Texas with Tammy and Leonard and the Zepeda family. Lyle's Catholic faith was especially important to him, and he was active in Catholic parishes in St. Charles, Illinois, Phoenix, Arizona, and Excelsior, Minnesota. He was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus and served as Grand Knight at St. Luke's in Phoenix, where he also served on the Finance Board and the Stewardship Committee. Lyle served in the Bereavement Ministry at St. Luke's and St. John the Baptist in Excelsior. He was also a member of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. Family includes his wife of nearly 69 years, Bonnie Swanson; children, Cindy Bowgren (Jeff) of St. Charles, Illinois, Mark Swanson (Carol) of Chaska, Tammy Zepeda of Dunlay, Texas; grandchildren, Terry Bowgren, Teresa Swanson, Kelsey Swanson, Monica Zepeda, Willie Zepeda (Julie Schott), the late Ray Zepeda, and Angelica DeWitt (Nik); great-grandchildren, Aubrie, Jaymes, Brett, Jaylin, Alyssa, the late Michael Zepeda, Maurida, Geoffrey, Rey, Malerie, AnaLeise, Joshua, Easton, and Eliot; great-great-grandchildren, Jesenia, Jose, Monika, Gabriella, Isabella, Aria, Cipriano, Michael, Elsea, Elailee, and Ezekiel; sisters, Delores "Dee" Krautbauer, Phyllis Lacroix (Bill), and Joan Carrier (Allen); in-laws, Wallace "Bubs" Lund, Dale Lund (Jeanne), Robert Lund (Gerrie), and Nancy Stauner (George), and many nieces and nephews. Lyle was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law, Leonard Zepeda; brother, Marlin "Mark" Swanson; in-laws, Wallace and Evelyn Lund, Jim Krautbauer, and Iris Lund. All services will be Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish in Excelsior, Minnesota. The Holy Rosary will be prayed at 9:45 a.m. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. The Mass of the Resurrection will be at 11:00 a.m. A luncheon will take place at the church immediately following the Mass. A private interment will follow at a later date. To view the service please use the following link https://www.youtube.com/live/_blbf78_kZU?si=mNisRqAn_qrmq2fG The family would like to express their sincere thanks and gratitude to Lifespark Hospice, the staff at Chaska Heights Senior Living with special thanks to his nurses, Naaol and Amanda, whose care and kindness to Lyle and Bonnie brought them and the family great comfort. As a final act of love for his beautiful wife, Bonnie, memorials may be made in Lyle's memory to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org.

Tributes

Lyle Gordon Swanson

October 31, 1936 - September 29, 2025

Tributes

Lyle Gordon Swanson

October 31, 1936 - September 29, 2025

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