Ralph Swenson

Ralph A. Swenson of Mankato died Wednesday, January 5th at his home in Mankato.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 8th at First Congregational UCC with Rev. Albert H. Thompson III officiating. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 7th at Mankato Mortuary and one hour prior to the service at the Church. Burial will be at Glenwood Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to First Congregational, United Church of Christ in Mankato.

Ralph was born May 9, 1920 to Loren A. and Edna G. Swenson in Mankato, Minnesota. He grew up in Mankato attending Mankato Public Schools and Mankato State Teachers College. He then attended the University of Minnesota graduating in 1943. In October of 1944, he married Margaret Lila Canon. Ralph and Margaret made their home in Mankato raising two children.

For 20 years, Ralph and his brother Donald owned and operated Swensons Photo and Gift Shop on Front Street in Mankato. In 1966, he was appointed Blue Earth County Recorder and was re-elected for 5 terms, serving in that capacity until he retired in 1988.

Margaret and Ralph were involved together in many church activities and enjoyed attending their childrens and grandchildrens school and community events. They were also lifelong live theater and musical fans attending regularly the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Mankato State University theater, Merely Players, the Ordway/State/Orpheum/Old Log in Minneapolis, the local Kiwanis Travelogues and many Civic Center events.

Ralph was an active member of First Baptist Church of Mankato until its closing in 1993. He was instrumental in the formation and building of the Multi-Church Center which was located on the corner of Second and Cherry for over twenty-five years. For the past 11 years he has been a member of First Congregational, United Church of Christ.

His community involvement included service through the Kiwanis Club, SCORE, Christian Concern Inc., AARP, YMCA, Mankato Symphony, Minnesota Council of Churches, Chamber of Commerce, Summit Center, Meals on Wheels and the Minnesota Valley Action Council. He was a Charter Member of the Mankato Ys Mens Club in 1947 and was honored as Blue Earth Countys Outstanding Senior Citizen in 1995.

Serving as Blue Earth County Register of Deeds, he became active in many professional national, state and local organizations. He served on the Board of Directors and was president of Minnesota County Recorders Assoc., Minnesota Assoc. of County Officers, Assoc. of Minnesota Counties, the National Assoc. of County Recorders & Clerks and the National Assoc. of Counties. He received the Minnesota Recorder of the Year Award in 1982 and the Excellence in County Government Award in 1988.

Ralph was preceded in death by his wife Margaret. He is survived by his son Loren Swenson and his wife Vicki of Forest City, Iowa and daughter Lynette Dauffenbach and her husband Mike of Mankato; grandchildren Brad Dirksen and his wife Shannon of Coon Rapids, Shannon Herrick and her husband Jeremy and great-granddaughter Madison Rae of Algona, Iowa, Brian Dauffenbach and his wife Pam of Langley AFB, Virginia, Ann Dauffenbach of Mankato and Jason Dauffenbach of Mankato. He is also survived by two sister-in-laws, one brother-in-law, nieces and nephews and many loving and special friends.

He truly left the world a better place for having lived, loved and served here. Who of us can ask for more . . . ?