Arne Swanson

Arne G. Swanson, 89, died Thursday, August 8, 2024 at Essential Health.

Arne was born April 26, 1935 in Duluth to Rudolph and Agda (Jansson) Swanson who were immigrants from Smaland and Varmland, Sweden. He was baptized and confirmed in the Swedish Emmanuel Lutheran Church, in Two Harbors, where he sang in the choir. He graduated with honors from Two Harbors High School in 1953, and from UMD in 1957. At UMD he was a member of Kappa Delta Pi Honorary Education Fraternity, Phil Alpha Theta Honorary History Fraternity, and Pi Gamma Mu Honorary Social Science Fraternity.

Arne began his teaching career in 1957 in Grand Marais, teaching 12th grade Economics, and 11th grade World History. Receiving a Swedish stipend in 1959, he left Grand Marais to study political science in Stockholm, graduating from the University of Stockholm, with a Swedish Graduate Diploma in Political Science. Returning to Two Harbors in 1960, he taught 10th grade American History. He also taught Swedish night classes, which gave him much satisfaction and pride. In 1978 he brought his mother back to Hagfors, Varmland, Sweden, where he taught basic Swedish and advanced English in the upper secondary school in Hagfors. After his mother’s death in 1990, Arne moved to Duluth, but returned to Sweden every summer until failing eyesight stopped his travel.

Arne leaves 24 Swedish-American teaching manuals to the Duluth-Vaxjo Sister City Commission in Vaxjo. The manuals are an accumulation of 21,000 Swedish-American idioms, phrases, and expressions. It represents 25 years of work beginning in 1990. “Tailor Swanson’s kid” kept the promises he made to his blind father!

Arne was a former member of Vasa Lodge, Svithiod Lodge, the Duluth Swedish Cultural Society, the Duluth-Vaxjo Sister City Commission, the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, and the Loyal Order of Moose in Two Harbors.

He is survived by his fiancee, Gail Newkumet and her family; and relatives and friends in Sweden, USA and Canada. He also leaves many students in Hagfors, speaking “Minnesota English”.

Graveside services will be held at 11 AM on Friday, August 23, 2024 at Lakeview Cemetery in Two Harbors. To share your memories or condolences online please visit www.cavallinfuneralhome.com.