Michael Allen Swanson, son of Robert and Shirley (Wheeler) Swanson, was born October 30, 1958 in North Platte, Nebraska. His family moved to Atlantic, Iowa in 1971 to open Wheelers Farm Supply.
Mike graduated from Atlantic High School in 1977 and then studied gunsmithing at Trinidad State Jr. College in Colorado. He lived in many states and held interesting jobs, including a police officer and a ranch hand.
On January 1, 1999 Mike was united in marriage to Stephanie Ann Breining and the couple made their home in Stephanie’s family home in Kimballton, Iowa. He worked at Jacobs Corporation in Harlan, IA from 2004 until the time of his death.
Mike was an avid golfer since childhood and enjoyed his years of Thursday night golf and tournaments at the Rosman Glendale Farms Golf Course in Harlan. He was a Nebraska Cornhuskers and Kansas City Chiefs football fan. He enjoyed woodworking, cats (particularly Shadow and Truman) and trips to Minnesota to fish and visit his Minnesota family, especially Uncle Jim and Aunt Janice Swanson.
Mike passed away peacefully in Elk Horn at 62 years of age, one week before his 63rd birthday. He was preceded in death by his father.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife and best friend of 22 years, Stephanie Swanson of Kimballton, Iowa; his children Megan (Donald) Foshee of Glenn Heights, TX; Kristina (Mike) Houk of Milton, FL; Adam (Alicia) Swanson of Biddeford, ME; Chelsea (J.P.) Idoni of Blue Springs, MO; Bailee Swanson of Surfside Beach, SC; Justine Christensen of Portsmouth, IA; Samantha Christensen of Shelby, IA; and Benjamin Christensen of Kimballton, IA; 9 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren; his mother Shirley (Stan) Eberspacher of Grand Island, NE; sister Connie (Bruce) Jensen of Columbus, NE; brother Steve (Terri) Swanson of Fort Worth, TX; sister Sarah (Eric) Follstad of Tampa, FL; mother-in-law Margaret (Barry) Beck of Casey, IA; father-in-law Ronald Breining of Elk Horn, IA; brother-in-law John Breining of Casey, IA; sister-in-law Anne (Craig) Bieker of Harlan, IA; nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends. Mike was a man of integrity with a kind and gentle soul who will be forever missed.
Visitation will be held Friday, November 5, 2021, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.
Pauley Jones Funeral home is in charge of arrangements.
