Ralph Monroe Swenson

Ralph Monroe Swenson, age 81, was born on December 14, 1940 near Flom, MN, to John Theodore Swenson and Bernice Margaret (Johnson) Swenson. After a hard-fought battle with cancer, Ralph passed away on Monday, June 6 at his home in Moorhead, MN with his wife Delight by his side, and surrounded by his loved ones.

Ralph held very fond memories of growing up and working on the farm with his mom and dad, brother Wayne, the family’s tractor, and best friend and dog, Buster. You would never find Ralph without his Daisy BB gun by his side, always looking for an opportunity to cause a little mischief. Ralph’s strong work ethic rewarded him with his first car, a blue 1950 Ford.

After several years of helping local farmers, Ralph began working at the Flom Co-Op Creamery in 1958. He then moved to Moorhead, MN in 1959 to be with his lil’ darlin’, Delight, and started working at Town and Country Flowers. He married Delight Ann Ruther on December 10, 1960, and together they raised 3 children: Bradley, Shelley, and Jonathan. He was a very loving and committed husband and father.

In 1963, Ralph began his career with FM Vending. He was known for his kindness, his reliability, and easily recognized in the FM Area driving his 1990 Chevy Silverado. Ralph and his truck retired after 42 years as General Manager in 2005.

Ralph spent his retirement working hand-in-hand with Delight on a variety of woodworking and outdoor projects. He was very detail-oriented and it showed in his exceptional work. Ralph leaves behind a legacy of family heirlooms that will be cherished for many years to come. He enjoyed bird-watching, gardening, landscaping, traveling, and spending time with his 7 grandchildren. One of his fondest projects was building his new garage in 2006, his favorite place to be.

Ralph is survived by his wife, Delight; children, Shelley (David) and Jonathan; brother, Wayne; grandchildren, Lexi, Levi, Ben, Emiley, Ana, Andy, and Ean; daughter-in-law Anne; and extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his son, Bradley; and sister-in-law, Virginia (Wood) Swenson.

The Swensons would like to thank Dr. Panwalkar and Dr. Jensen for their excellent care, Pastor Vickie Haverkamp, as well as RN Corey and CNA Diego, and the entire Hospice team at HRRV.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2PM on Saturday, June 18, 2022, with visitation one hour prior, at Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center, Fargo.

In lieu of flowers, donations are preferred to Hospice of the Red River Valley.
Hospice of the Red River Valley – Acceptiva