DON SWENSON
From the Re-Echo, December 2008

The St. Louis Park Historical Society is sorry to note the passing of one of our best friends, Donald Nels Swenson.

Don’s St. Louis Park roots run deep. In 1923, his father Nels Swenson, along with partner Carl Redeen, opened the Swenson Redeen meat market and grocery in the Walker Building on Walker Street. In those days, housewives called in their order and the groceries were delivered to their door. The store was a great improvement from having to take the streetcar to Minneapolis for groceries.

In 1927, Don’s parents moved to St. Louis Park and Don was born on January 2, 1928. He graduated from Park High in 1945, served in the Army, and returned to the University of Minnesota to finish his education. He worked for many years in the area of human resources and served as Vice President of Personnel for Massey Ferguson, Inc.

Don played a key role in the life of the St. Louis Park Historical Society. Although he had not lived in the Park for many years, in 1998 he decided to write a book of memoirs by people who had grown up in the Park during the Depression. He called the book Something in the Water, a sly reference to the City’s experiences with the Creosote Plant. From his home in Arizona, he contacted many of his classmates and children of businessmen like his father to get first hand accounts of how life in the Park was like in the 1930s and early ‘40s.

He needed additional reference material, however, and turned to the SLP Historical Society. Unfortunately, with the death of founder Marie Hartmann in 1996, the Society was floundering and the collection of documents was in disarray. Through Don’s persistence, a major sort was done in the summer of 2000. Don used those documents to supplement his book. Without Don’s push, those materials may have not seen the light of day for several more years. (They are now safely stored at our location at Lenox.)

Don self-published his book, and made copies available to the Historical Society to sell. After recouping the cost of copying, proceeds were donated to the Society. Copies of the book are still available. This is an important resource, especially since the chapters are not included on the Society’s web site.

At the same time he was writing his book, Don also wrote a series of articles on St. Louis Park history for the Sun Sailor.

Don remained in contact with the Society, and made regular visits to his old home town. On one of those trips he recorded his memories of his early family history for the Society’s Oral History series.

After a brief bout with pancreatic cancer, Don passed away on October 14, 2008 at age 80. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Connie, and his sons Craig and Joel.

In a typical act of generosity, Don and his family have requested that memorial bequests be made to the Historical Society.

Don’s legacy is his book Something in the Water. The book is available by sending a check for $20 to our mailing address: 3700 Monterey Drive, St. Louis Park 55416.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.