Virgil Dale Swanson, 77, of Mason City died Feb. 17, 2000 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minn, of respiratory failure due to ALS. Services were held in the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Mason City, Iowa on Monday, Feb. 21 with Rev. Richard Scheerer officiating. Interment was in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Mason City, with full military rites.

Virgil Dale Swanson was born September 21, 1922 in Hartington, Neb. He is the only son of Alfred Nels and Gertrude I. (Lundberg) Swanson.

Dale attended country school in Hartington and Bloomfield, Neb. until his family moved to Northwood, Iowa where he graduated from high school in 1940. Dale served in the United States Navy for three years (1943-1946).. After his discharge he attended Luther College in Decorah for two-and-one-half years. He graduated from Iowa State University in Ames.

Dale was united in marriage with Louise E. Miles December 20, 1953 in Riceville and made their home in Mason City.

From 1954-1956 he taught veterans in the Farm Training Program. He was a cattle buyer for Armour and Company for 13 years, Blue Ribbon Beef for four years and Iowa Beef Processors for 18 years. He retired in 1988.

Dale was a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, the American Legion, Elks and Masonic Lodge.

He is survived by his wife, Louise, of Mason City; two daughters, Janet Dean, Mason City, Eileen Mediger and husband Randy, Waterville, Minn.; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one sister, Maxine Damall and husband Lloyd, Brookings, SD; mother-in-law, Ella Miles of Riceville; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and father-in-law.

Source: Riceville Recorder Feb. 24, 2000 from the Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee, Transcribed by ABBYY FineReader® 12, Adapted to the web by Bill Waters