Rev. Winfield "Win" E. Swanson

Rev. Winfield "Win" E. Swanson was born February 3, 1926, in Orrock, Minnesota, and passed to his eternal reward on November 28, 2017, in Nampa, Idaho.   The middle child of five children born to Albert and Olga Swanson, he grew up on the farm and soon displayed an amazing aptitude for anything mechanical.  Throughout his life he was known as the man who could build or fix anything.  Win graduated from Monticello, MN High School in 1945, and joined the Navy shortly before the end of WWII, where he learned electronics and taught communications.  He would later use those skills as a radio and TV repairman.  While in the Navy he married his high school sweetheart, Margaret Wildman.  They were married for 71 years. After the Navy he attended St. Paul Bible Institute to prepare for his lifelong calling to the ministry.  In 1953 he joined the Church of the Nazarene and assumed his first Nazarene pastorate, in Heber Springs, Arkansas.  His lengthy career as a Nazarene pastor included pastorates in International Falls, MN, Omaha, NE, Loveland, CO, Security, CO, West Helena, AR, Shelton, WA , and Bremerton, WA.  For five years in the 1980’s he served as Director of Physical Plant for Northwest Nazarene College (now NNU) in Nampa, ID. Win’s building skills were a key part of his ministry.  Every church he pastored benefitted from his skills as he built, remodeled, and at times relocated churches and parsonages.  A highlight of his career was serving as District Builder for the South Arkansas District of the Church of the Nazarene where he moved from town to town, building churches. Win and Margaret’s last assignment was the management of a large apartment complex owned by Bethany, OK First Church of the Nazarene where, in addition to managing the apartments, they ministered to the many retired ministers and missionaries in the apartments.  In 2004 they returned to Loveland, Colorado where they lived for 13 years before moving to Nampa in July, 2017.  During their retirement years they enjoyed being very active in Bethany, Oklahoma First Church and the Loveland Nazarene Church.

Win is survived by his wife Margaret, of Nampa; sister, Leone Benke, Minneapolis, MN; 2 daughters, Dawn (Dwight) Carlson and Vicki (Loren) Duerre of Loveland, CO and 3 sons, Barry (Becky) of Nampa, ID, Dwight (Kathy) of Manchester, England, and Randy (Carol) of Yukon, OK; 13 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Alan, Joe and Harlan.

            The family wishes to thank Karrie Watson and staff from Treasure Valley Hospice for their love and care for Dad and our family for the past six weeks. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Treasure Valley Hospice, 8 6th St. No., Nampa, Idaho 83687.

            A Memorial Service to honor and celebrate Win’s life will be held at the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel, 415 12th Ave. So. – 208-442-8171 on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 11 AM. Concluding Services will be held in Loveland, CO at a later date. An online guest book is available at www.nampafuneralhome.com

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