Clifford J. Swanson

Reverend Clifford John Swanson, age 87, college pastor at St. Olaf College in Northfield MN from 1954 to 1981, passed away June 12, 2008, in Northfield. He was preceded in death by parents, Algot and Esther (Johnson) Swanson of Cannon Falls, brother Glenn Swanson, and infant great-grandson, Leif Phillips. He is survived by wife, June Anderson Swanson, sons John Swanson (Paula) and Rodney Johnson (Marcia), daughters Maren Swanson (Rob Smith) and Kristi Holden (Barry), grandchildren Zachary Swanson, Gina Swanson Phillips (Patrick), Erik Swanson, Ryan Johnson, Christopher Swanson Reigstad, Morgan Lindsay Swanson Smith, John (Jack) Malcolm Smith, Zachary Holden, Blythe Holden (Doug Trussler), Alexandra Holden, Blake Holden, and Kyle Holden, and great-grandchildren Iver and August Phillips.

Cliff was born August 9, 1920 in Cannon Falls, MN and graduated from Cannon Falls High School. He went on to college and graduated from St. Olaf in 1942 and from Luther Seminary in 1945. He did graduate work at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley under a Danforth grant. He received an honorary doctorate from Luther College. He served as a tutor at the Graduate School of Ecumenical Studies at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. He served parishes in Sioux Falls SD and Rockford IL before being called to be college pastor at St. Olaf in 1954. In 1981-84 he served as director of college-congregation relations for St. Olaf.

Cliff was a member of the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship and was its chair at the time of publication of the “Lutheran Book of Worship” in 1978. He was an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and a long-standing member of the Northfield Rotary Club.

Cliff successfully ministered to almost three decades of students at St. Olaf. He maintained his rock-solid authenticity even as the student population changed from post-WWII go-getters to 60’s hippies to 70’s hipsters. He was one of the gentlest souls on earth – a man who did not swear even when playing golf and having plenty of reason to do so, yet a manly man who cleared the land and built his own cabin in the north woods.

He married his sweetheart, June Anderson, in 1943. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on June 8. He loved his family, friends, church, and the communities of Northfield and St. Olaf, and was beloved by them all.

A celebration of Cliff’s life will be held at 2 p.m., June 16, 2008, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield (visitation at church beginning at 1 p.m.). Burial at Oaklawn Cemetery in Northfield. Arrangements by Bierman Funeral Home. Memorials preferred to St. Olaf College, Luther Seminary, or St. John’s Lutheran Church.