Maxine Swiggum

Maxine Swiggum, age 91, of Decorah, IA, died on Friday, April 14, 2017 at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah. Memorial Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 9, 2017 (her birthday), at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah, with Pastor Amy Larson officiating. Inurnment will be in North Kickapoo Lutheran Cemetery in Soldiers Grove, WI at a later date. Visitation begins at 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 9, one hour before the service, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Bethel Maxine Swiggum was born June 9, 1925 in Soldier’s Grove, WI, the daughter of Palmer and Ida (Halvorson) Swiggum. She was baptized and confirmed at North Kickapoo Lutheran Church in rural Soldier’s Grove. She attended Johnstown rural school and was a 1943 graduate of Soldier’s Gove High School, a 1949 graduate of Luther College in Decorah, IA, and then earned a Master’s Degree in Education for the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA. She was a teacher of business education at St. Peter, MN, then Chatfield, MN followed by 26 years in Decorah High School until her retirement in 1987. Maxine was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah. She was a dedicated teacher. After retirement she liked to travel, attended many Elderhostel’s, and loved to play Scrabble. She often said that though she had no children she really had hundreds because she considered her office education students her children. And she was a good aunt to her nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; and 2 brothers, Peter Swiggum and Buel Swiggum. Maxine is survived by her two sisters-in-law, Jean Swiggum of Cedar Falls, IA and Eunice Swiggum of Roseville, CA; seven nieces and nephews: David (Myrna) Swiggum, Mary (Mark) Monroe, Lois (Tom) Appel, John Swiggum, Ruth Swiggum (Gene Rugg), Joanna (Norman) Petersen, Margaret (Keith) Little; 14 Great Nieces and Nephews; and 12 Great-Great nieces and nephews.