Vera (Hodges) Swanson/Moore

Vera (Hodges) Swanson/Moore, of Mankato, formerly of Minneapolis, died Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at Oaklawn Health Care Center in Mankato.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 28, 2010 at Mankato Mortuary. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at Mankato Mortuary on Monday. Burial will be 1:30 p.m. in Sunset Cemetery, Minneapolis.

Vera was born February 21, 1918, the fifth child of Martha (Tank) and Edward F. Hodges in Blackwater Township, North Dakota. She attended the rural O'Shea School until 1929 when the family moved to Garrison, ND. Vera graduated from Garrison High School, where she competed in sports. After graduation she was employed as a Recreational Assistant Director. In this capacity she planned and supervised youth activities in the community, including 18 preschool children. In addition she implemented a basic sewing class for teen-age girls. In November of 1939 Vera moved to California for about a year. She returned to Garrison for a short time before joining her sister, Frances in Minneapolis, MN. She was employed as a waitress. In 1945 she was married to Leonard C. Swanson (Swan) and they resided in Little Falls, MN. After two years, they returned to Minneapolis. Vera was not employed outside of their home until 1965 when she began work in retail sales. She received several awards for her excellence in customer service. Vera retired at the age of 62 to care for Swan until his death in 1989. She resided in her home until 1998, at which time she moved to Mankato, to be near her sister, Doris.

Vera enjoyed interacting with her nieces and nephews, often "hiring" them to work on special projects and annual rummage sales. There was always a Un-birthday party featuring one of Vera's fabulous decorated cakes. She was well known as the gracious hostess of many dinner parties and family gatherings.

In 1999, at the age of 80, she married long time friend, Dale C. Moore. They traveled extensively in the northwestern states, visiting friends and relatives, until Dale's death in 2003. In 2007 she moved to Oaklawn Health Care Center, residing there until the time of her death.

Vera is survived by two sisters, Lauretta Carlson of Berkely, MI; Doris Rowe of Mankato; eight nieces and nephews; many great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two husbands; parents; five brothers; one sister; one nephew.