Donald E Swensen, age 85, of Battle Creek, MI passed to his rest peacefully at his Pennfield Township home on February 5, 2014. He was born on November 20, 1928 in Battle Creek, the fourth of six children born to David and Nettie Swensen. He was raised on the family farm north of Union City. He graduated from Union City High School and received a B.S. in Agriculture from Andrews University.

Donald served in the Air National Guard during the Korean War, and his unit was called to active duty. He remembered with particular fondness his work in the tool crib at Kellogg Field. Following the end of the war, he worked briefly as groundskeeper at The Kellogg Company and then started college at Andrews University. In 1955 he married Freda F. Dunlap of Pennfield Township in a ceremony at the Battle Creek Seventh-day Adventist Tabernacle. Upon completion of his agriculture degree, Donald served as Assistant Farm Manager at Adventist boarding academies in Illinois and Indiana. Donald returned to Andrews University to gain teaching certificates in Industrial Arts and Driver Education, launching his career as a teacher at high schools in South Haven and Pennfield Township.

After years of teaching, Donald began a career as a contractor, completing numerous plumbing and mechanical jobs at the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center in Battle Creek. He also delivered livestock nutritional supplements to area farmers.

Donald’s life was centered on his faith and his family. As a member of the Battle Creek Tabernacle, he served as a deacon, chaired the audio-visual committee, and installed and maintained many of the locks on the church campus. He particularly enjoyed a small group weekly bible study. Donald and Freda have two sons, Ron, a Gynecologic Oncologist in the Seattle area, and Timothy, an Electronics Engineer in the San Jose area. Donald particularly enjoyed driving across the country during his numerous trips to the west to visit his sons.

Donald is survived by his wife, Freda; sons, Ron of Bellevue, Washington, Timothy of Santa Clara, California; brother, Raymond of Green Valley, Arizona; sister, Carolyn (Sonja) Ahlberg of East LeRoy, Michigan; and three grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his parents, David and Nettie; brother, Richard; sisters, Sylvia Elliot and Alma Wilson.

Donald’s ashes will be interred at Fort Custer National Cemetery on Friday, March 7, 2014 in a private ceremony. The public is welcome to attend a memorial service at 4:00pm, Saturday, March 8, 2014, at The Seventh-day Adventist Tabernacle, 264 W. Michigan Ave., Battle Creek. Memorial contributions may be directed in Donald’s name to Battle Creek Academy, 480 Parkway Drive, Battle Creek, Michigan 49037.

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