John Swenson, 49

John Swenson, 49, of Mountain Home, died Sept. 23, 2003, at a Salt Lake City hospital.

Funeral mass was held Friday, Sept. 26, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, followed by graveside services at Mountain View Cemetery. Fr. Raul Covarrubias officiated. Arrangements were under the direction of Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel, Mountain Home.

Swenson was born March 4, 1954, at Travis AFB, Calif., the son of Joyce and Howard Swenson. He attended grade school and junior high in Vacaville, Calif.

He was involved in Boy Scouts as a youth and earned Scouting's highest honor, his Eagle badge, at age 15.

He traveled all over California in the 1960s with a close family friend, Marion "Smoke" Bartell, and they shared many unique experiences during their summers together.

He moved with his family to Mountain Home in 1967.

He worked for Western Auto during his high school years and graduated from Mountain Home High School in 1972 and attended BSU.

"He was very fun in school and always had a smile on his face," according to his family and friends.

He married Coleen Waters on April 24, 1976, and to that union was born a daughter, Stacy.

He was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church.

In the late 1970s he started the first hot air balloon concession in the Elkhorn/Sun Valley area.

Later, he drove truck for Ben Heideman, worked at the NCO Club at Mountain Home AFB, was a salesman and general manager for Bob Montgomery at Mountain Home Ford and had been with Performance Chevrolet until ill health forced his retirement.

Survivors include: his wife, Coleen; his daughter, Stacy; his mother, Joyce; his sister, Martha (Dan) Hazelbaker; and numerous uncles, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Pearl White, and his father, Howard Swenson.

Memorials can be sent to the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce Giving Tree program at 205 N. 3rd East St., Mountain Home, ID 83647.