Robert Ellis Swanson

Mr. Robert E. "Bob" Swanson, 79, of DeWitt, Iowa, died early Thursday morning, July 30, 2020, at home.

Robert Ellis Swanson was born October 8, 1940, in Moline, Illinois, to Robert Swanson and Audrey Giles, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Giles.  He was a 1959 graduate of Moline High School.  Bob played football for Moline High and was an accomplished trumpet player in the Moline High School Band.  His favorite trumpet player was Harry James and his favorite football teams were the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Bears.  Bob married Marian Baird Hansen, February 22, 1971 on a ship in Biscayne Bay, Florida.  He was a merchant seaman mostly on car ferries crossing Lake Michigan.  His favorite was the SS Badger.  In 1973, Bob took up flying and achieved his private pilot's license.  He taught flying and was a charter pilot in Davenport, Galesburg, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. 

He grew up in the Community of Christ Church in Moline.  After marrying Marian and moving to DeWitt he belonged to the Community of Christ Church in Clinton where he was a priesthood member.  Bob was an avid lap swimmer at the YMCA all of his life.  He also enjoyed long distance bicycling.

Surviving are his wife, Marian; children, Channing Swanson, Chanda Swanson and Rick Hansen; grandchildren, Jennifer Hansen Overy, Jessica Hansen, Lauren Hansen Hill, Tim Hansen, Sloane Swanson and Cole Swanson; great-grandchildren, Jack Overy, Ady Overy, Eli Overy, Cam Overy, Kai Overy, Parker Hill and Kennedy Hill and siblings, Ed Clark, Herb Clark, Jerry Clark, Jean Clark-Meyer, Tom Clark and Jeff Clark. 

A Graveside Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 19, 2020, at Elmwood Cemetery, DeWitt, with Vicar Ruthie Mhanga  officiating.  Interment will follow.

Arrangements are in the care of Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt.

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