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Donald Lewis Swendsen

Donald Lewis "D.L." Swendsen was born Sept. 7, 1929 in Westbrook, Maine where he and his wife spent their entire lives. He was a son of Fred W. Swendsen and Effie Gertrude Smith Swendsen, who were married in 1927.

Contents

Siblings

Donald had at least two siblings:

  • Avis Gwendolyn Swendsen (1933-2002)
    • Portland Herald 1947: "Miss Avis G. Swendsen, entertained a group of her friends Saturday, her 14th birthday. Present were the Misses Pauline, Mary and Margaret Stultz, Angela Hardy, Muriel Shaw, Caroline Beal, Cora Farley, and Lorna Swendsen."
  • Lorna Marie Swendsen (1937-2013)
    • Portland Herald 1948: "Miss Lorna Swendsen recently was honored at a party given by her mother, Mrs. Fred W. Swendsen, in observance of her 12th birthday. A decorated birthday cake formed the luncheon table centerpiece with appointments in pink and white. Cut flowers were used to decorate the home. Others present were the Misses Mary Foster, Jean Secord, Patsy Peterson, Shirley and Barbara Marier, Gloria and Helen Laffin, Jean Raymond, Shirley Bragdon, Peggy Harnois, Carol Barbour, Marguerite Hardy, Avis Swendsen, Dorothy Arey, Virginia Caron, Diane White and Richard Marier."

Donald's parents' ancestry

  • Frederick William Swendsen (1892-1973 ME) - special police & guard in 1961.
    • Fred's father was William Peter Swendsen (b. 1871 Tårnby, Copenhaven, Denmark - d. 1949 Windham, Cumberland, ME)
      • William's parents were Hans Svendsen (1845-1924) & Anna Elizabeth Dam Svendsen (b. 1850)
    • Fred's mother was Bertha Sophe Pederson Swendsen (1867-1927)
  • Effie Gertrude "Gertie" Smith Swendsen (b. 1899 Canada - d. 1994 Westbrook, ME).
    • Effie's father was Charles G. Smith (b. 1871 Colchester, N.S. - d. 1949 Westbrook, ME). He was a Presby. blacksmith in Colchester, N.S. in 1901.
      • son of Anthony Smith (b. 1844 Colchester, N.S. - d. 1889) & Elizabeth McAuley Smith (b. 1843 Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland); Anthony was a Presby. blacksmith, also.
        • Anthony's parents were David & Elizabeth.
        • Elizabeth's parents were James McAuley (b. 1803 Lochwinnoch, Renfrew, Scotland) & Catherine (b. 1817 Kilmodan, Argyll, Scotland).
    • Effie's mother was Clara Gilbert Cruickshank Smith (b. 1880 Halifax, N.S. - 1960 Westbrook, ME)
      • dau. of John William Cruickshank (b. 1851 N.S. - d. 1920 Boise, ID) & Gertrude Leslie Fraser Cruickshank (1852-1929 N.S.)


Marriage

On August 29, 1953, Donald married Muriel Ann Shaw, and would be married sixty years. Muriel was born Nov. 24, 1930, a daughter of Earl S. Shaw (1905-1971 Westbrook, ME) and Mary Rose Falt Shaw (b. 1908 Strathcona, AB - d. 1987 Westbrook, ME), who were married June 10, 1930 in Westbrook. Muriel had one brother, David Shaw of Limington, ME.

In 1940, the Swendsen family had two single lodgers living with them, both of which may have been from Brethren upbringing, given the names:

  • Marie Delia Arsenault (1918-2012), later married Nicholas J. Lichatz (1917-2005)
  • Bertha D. Duchaine (b. 1921)

Children

  • Ruth m. Bruce Reny - Westbrook, ME
  • Sharon m. Dick Bernier - Standish, ME
  • Stephen m. Cyndi - Gorham, ME

Military Service and Career

Donald spent nearly 38 years as a fireman for the Westbrook Fire Department, retiring in 1995. He also served several years with the U.S. Army. Muriel spent 31 years (1967-1998) employed as an administrative assistant for the Westbrook School Dept.


Assembly Contributions

Donald was presumably in fellowship with Bethany Gospel Hall, founded ca. 1910's by H.F. Stultz, when he set out in 1958 with others to found a new assembly in the auditorium of Warren Memorial Library (1879-2009) on 479 Main St., where they met until acquiring their present property in 1961, and became known as Spring Hill Gospel Hall.

Death

Muriel died July 23, 2014. From the intro of her obit: "To paraphrase the words of C.H. Spurgeon, As surely as Muriel was God's child, so surely all her trials have ended. Her head shall wear the crown of glory, and her hand of labor shall grasp the palm-branch of victory. She is now where there shall be neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. The chariots of fire have ushered her over to the glorified with an everlasting song upon her lip. The portals of heaven have opened wide the gate as Muriel has now entered into rest and nothing can divide her from His love."

Donald died Jan. 11, 2016. From the intro of his obit: "To paraphrase the words of C.H. Spurgeon, but we know enough of the heavenly land to make Donald welcome his summons thither with joy and gladness. The journey of death may be dark, but we may go forth on it fearlessly, knowing that God is with us as we walk through the gloomy valley, and therefore we need fear no evil. Donald has departed from all he has known and loved here, and has gone to our Father's house - to our Father's home, where Jesus is - to that royal "city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." This shall be his last removal, to dwell forever with Him who he loves, in the midst of His people, in the presence of God. Donald is now where he has longed to be."

Sources

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Last edited on 3 January 2021, at 02:27