John W. "Buck" Swenson

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 12, 2024 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud for John W. “Buck” Swenson, age 87, of St. Cloud, who passed away on Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at his home. Reverend Derek Weichmann will officiate. Inurnment, with full military honors, will be in the Minnesota State Veteran’s Cemetery in Little Falls. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

John was born on March 30, 1936 to Vernon and Dorothy (Murray) Swenson in Lake City, Minnesota. He grew up in Pine Island, Minnesota and graduated from Pine Island High School in 1954. After graduation, he entered into military service and honorably served his country in the United State Air Force as an Airman 1st Class. He was stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado where he would eventually meet the love of his life, Joan Goodwin. They were united in marriage on August 22, 1959 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver. After their marriage, they moved to Bethesda, Maryland where John worked at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Medical Media Production. In 1969, they moved to St. Cloud where he began working for the St. Cloud V.A. Medical Center. After working for 18 years at the St. Cloud V.A. Medical Center, John utilized the G.I. Bill to attend and graduate from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Mass Communications. He then went on to work for Bankers Systems as a Banking Software Specialist, retiring in 1996 after 12 years. He was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

John was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed going hunting, fishing and golfing. He also enjoyed working with his hands doing woodworking and repairing fishing reels for his “side job”: Buck’s Reel Repair. In his retirement, John enjoyed RV traveling, especially to Alaska. He will be remembered as a strong, smart, funny and loving man.

John in survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Joan; children, Shelly (Jeff) Kremers, Leslie (Mike) Swenson, Eric (Jayne Nemeth) Swenson and Sue (Steve Goldberg) Swenson; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; brothers, Larry (Marcy), Steve (Deb) and George (Lonna) Swenson; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Carol (Jerry) Weis and Edward (Angie) Swenson.

A special thank you to Dr. John Sebas and the staff of CentraCare Hospice for their loving and compassionate care of John.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.