Judith Marie Swenson

Having left her mark on Earth, Judie Swenson shuffled off this mortal coil on June 7 in the company of loving and devoted family and friends.

Judie was born in Hibbing to Dorothy and John Capra. Raised by her mother and surrounded by a tightknit family, she fondly remembered her childhood - and it shaped who she became. Starting at age 10, as the eldest of three siblings she was given the responsibility of house boss when Dot was working her three jobs. As Judie told it, she excelled in this role. Seventy-six  years hence, she'd perfected it.

Judie graduated from Bemidji State College with a degree in Education, and-after a stint in Forest Lake-spent her career in Robbinsdale District 281. In her time, she married and divorced, raised two doting children, traveled the world, met and grew old with an equally doting partner, kept a horde of close friends, and lived a good life for 64 years on Welcome Avenue in Crystal. That alone is time well spent. It in no sense, however, captures what made Judie remarkable.

Foremost, she brought people together. She made friends easily and kept them readily, drawing in people from all walks: poor and wealthy, old and young, liberal, conservative, faithful, faithless, conventional, eccentric. She attracted people needing kindness without judgement, and she gave it freely. She was a favorite auntie to many. She held a special tenderness for the alone, the overlooked, and the elderly.

She was a caretaker. In succession, Judie was a primary caregiver for her mother, her aunt, her sister, and her partner. Forty years of nearly uninterrupted service to others, with no expectation of reward. And it wasn't limited to people; Judie took in strays and old, "unadoptable" dogs rescued from kill facilities. These commonly came from horrid origins, and she was determined to ensure their last years were their best.

She liked musicals and consumed catalogs of audio books. She favored violent action movies and loved Conway Twitty nearly as much as Elvis Presley. She was at various times a magician's assistant, a kolo dancer, a sarma maker, a 'cleaning lady', a mystery tour curator, a JED House renovator, and a food shelf volunteer. She wouldn't give up on dying trees. She worked hard. She worked very hard. She believed in good deeds and integrity above all else.

Judie would doubtless dismiss such praise. She regularly referred to herself as average, "and I'm okay with that". What she would agree with is she did her level best and left us with no regrets. Hear hear.

Judie was preceded in death by her mother, father, sister Paula Jo, and partner Ed. She is survived by daughter Shanna (Aaron), grandchildren Kaiya and Kade, son Skip (Mary), brother Jack, and unknowable numbers of heartbroken family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Judie's name can be sent to Second Chance Animal Rescue, which still has her on speed dial.