Sylvia Swanson

Minot

Sylvia Swanson, 94, Minot, died Friday, January 19, 2024, in her home.

Sylvia was born to Matt and Fanny (Maki) Niva on August 29, 1929, on the family farm 10 miles south of what is now New Town. Sylvia attended school at the Howie Township Country School, from which she graduated 8th grade. Sylvia had a great love of horses. She and her mother Fanny and sister Lila would lead the parades in New Town, their saddles and bridles beautifully adorned with studs and conchos. Sylvia was especially proud to have been chosen to lead the precession and carry the flag at the 1953 4th of July Rodeo at Sanish, which was at the time billed as the largest rodeo in the country. However, her horse would not tolerate the big flag and she was unable to do so. A picture of that rodeo with Sylvia, her mother, and sister is on a pedestal at the Top of Mount Crow Flies High West of New Town.

Sylvia met her husband Don Swanson when he helped bring electricity to the farm for the first time by wiring the house. They were united in marriage on October 28, 1951, in Sanish Lutheran Church.

Shortly after marriage they moved to El Centro, CA, where Don worked in the cotton fields and Sylvia worked in a western store called Tack and Togs, a job she thoroughly enjoyed. They returned to ND and a son Dwight was born November 1952 and sadly passed from pneumonia in January 1953. A second son Jeffery Lynn was born July 15, 1955. They purchased a farm north of New Town and farmed the land until moving to Minot in 1959. She remained a housewife dedicated to raising her son until beginning her career as manager of Sullivans Gift Shop in downtown Minot, a job she truly loved. She worked at Sullivans for many years. After leaving Sullivans she was instrumental in starting the Flower Box in Minot, where she arranged flowers and helped with day to day business. After several years there she went to photo retouching school in Fargo and started her own retouching business out of her home and did negatives for Arvid Reiman Photography and Elite Studios, as well as others.

Sylvia was an extremely talented artist and won best of show at the ND State Fair for an oil painting she painted for her son Jeff as a high school graduation present. She was also a superb leather carver, so much so that she entered a purse she carved in the state fair and the judges wouldn’t judge it, saying it was too perfect and could not have been hand carved. She was livid!

Sylvia was meticulous in everything she did. She took great pride in her yard and flower beds and won a yard beautification award from the City of Minot in 1981. She was also an exceptional cook and baker and Christmas and Thanksgiving meals were always a feast fit for Kings.

Sylvia was blessed with a granddaughter Tasha Marie on October 17, 1985, from the union of Jeff and Jackie Swanson. Tasha was the light of her life and she treasured every moment spent with her. Tasha was always interested in cooking with grandma and Sylvia would teach her the skills of cooking as well as instilling a love of flowers and how to grow them. She looked forward to her annual Green Thumb trip with Tasha every year, which ended with a lot of beautiful flowers and a trip to Dairy Queen for a butterscotch marshmallow sundae.

Sylvia was then blessed with a great-grandson Hayes Wilder, born to Tasha and Jeremy Giroux on October 31, 2020. Hayes was source of great joy to Sylvia and she would always light up with a big smile when he came to visit.

Sylvia is survived by her son Jeff, granddaughter Tasha (Jeremy) Giroux; great-grandson Hayes and Tasha’s mother Jackie Soulis, all of Minot.

She was preceded in death by her parents Matt and Fanny Niva, husband, Don Swanson, infant son, Dwight, sister, Lila Roggenbuck and great-granddaughter, Navy Rose Giroux.

A special thank you to Jackie Soulis, who lovingly cared for Sylvia in the last 2 years of her life, and also to Terry Anne Reich and Dena Elberg, who also put their hearts into caring for Sylvia. Lastly, to Caring Edge Hospice for their dedication and weekly visits and care.

Celebration of Life for Sylvia: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, February 1, 2024, at First Lutheran Church, Minot. To view a livestream of the service or to share memories or condolences, access www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Interment: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot, North Dakota.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the start of the service at the church on Thursday.

Memorials are preferred to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Published by The Minot Daily News January 29, 2024.