Blanche Swan age 95 of Tracy, formerly of Balaton, passed away Thursday, June 13, 2013 at home surrounded by her family.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Sillerud Lutheran Church, rural Balaton.
Visitation is 4:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Tracy Area Funeral Home with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Burial is in the church cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. Stephens Funeral Service – Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Blanche (Kadolph) Swan was born in Lowville Township on April 27, 1918, to Harry and Anna (Ost) Kadolph. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and attended country school. Blanche was united in marriage to Hilding B. Swan on March 31, 1943. They were married at her brother, Elmer’s, home. They made their home on the Swan family farm where they raised their two daughters, Betty Jean and Phyllis Kay. Blanche cared for their children, their home, and served daily homemade meals to many hired men and foreign exchange students whom resided with them. Blanche and Hilding retired from farming in 1969 and moved to Balaton, MN. They were the caretakers of Sillerud Lutheran Cemetery for many years. They refinished furniture and enjoyed helping family and friends. Blanche and Hilding drew large crowds having been known for their barbecue pork roasts, feeding hundreds at a time. They also loved to travel, taking trips to see all 50 of the United States and 24 foreign countries. Blanche enjoyed gardening and quilting during retirement. In 2003, Blanche moved to Tracy after surviving a heart attack. There she helped care for her husband who was on home hospice care at their daughter, Phyllis’s home. She continued living with Phyllis as her caregiver until June 13, 2013, when she passed away at the age of 95.
Blanche is survived by her daughter, Phyllis (Gary) Hansen of Tracy, MN; son-in-law: Don Westphal; four grandchildren: Lynn (Rick) Miller of Garvin, MN, Todd Westphal and Scott Westphal of Brookings, SD, and Heather (Kevin) vanKoeverden of Rochester, MN; four great-grandchildren: Ryan and Jessica Miller, Ana and Elsa vanKoeverden. She was preceded in death by her parents, Anna and Harry Kadolph; her husband, Hilding; her daughter, Betty; her brothers Elmer and Alvin; 10 brother-in-laws and 12 sister-in-laws.