Dale Wendell Swanson was born March 19, 1928, north of Silver Lake near Ayrshire, the son of John Arndt and Madella Dorothy (Matthiesen) Swanson.
Dale attended school in Ayrshire graduating high school in 1945. After graduation, he farmed and drove school bus.
Dale joined the United States Navy on Dec. 28, 1950, where he served as a mechanic while stationed in Guam. Dale was honorably discharged on Sept. 28, 1954, and soon after returned to the farm.
On June 12, 1955, Dale was united in marriage to Helen Main at the Christian Church in Troy Mills, Iowa. Together, they were blessed with five children: Wendy, Carolyn, Mary Jo, Barb and Paul.
Dale was a member of the United Methodist Church in Ayrshire until its closing, and then became a member of the Community United Methodist Church of Gillett Grove. He was a member of the Ayrshire American Legion Post No. 173. Dale will be remembered by his contributions to the church, school, and other community organizations.
Dale was known for his sense of humor and enjoyment of talking to family, friends, neighbors and even someone he just met. He was kind, caring and found ways to help those around him in many ways. Since he was a young boy, Dale’s passion was farming. He dedicated his entire life to farming, and, more importantly, his family.
