Michael Leon Swenson died June 10, 2019.
He was born in 1944 in Fort Blanchard, Florida, to Henry and Carolyn Swenson. His family moved to Renton, Washington, where he met Stacia Swenson; they married at The Hitching Post in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and settled in Kent, Washington, where they raised four children. He enjoyed motorcycles, summer camping and fishing with friends and family, alternating time between ocean and mountains in the Pacific Northwest. He earned certification as an electrical technician and welder; he also earned his certificate as a journeyman mechanic in the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. He worked for years at N.C. Machinery and its various parent companies, designing and building the hydraulic arm lift for logging equipment and the giant scoop bucket for construction. He retired as field service supervisor after more than 39 years. He was the original “picker” before it was popular and loved fixing and selling mechanical items of all kinds.
He is survived by his wife Stacia; daughters Kimn Gollnick (Russ), Stacy Johnson (Landon) and Merri Swenson Lundin; son Michael Swenson (Roxann); siblings Terry Swenson (Linda) and Susan Lundin (Lars); 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A remembrance memorial service took place at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at Mount Rainier Christian Center in Enumclaw.
Donations in his name are suggested to Bright Focus Foundation, 22512 Gateway Center Dr., Clarksburg, Maryland 20871 (www.brightfocus.org/help-find-cure).