Margaret Swenson

Margaret Ann Swenson, 73, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully Thursday, May 26, 2016, at Saint Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, surrounded by her family.

Margaret was born in Ely, Nev., on Oct. 28, 1942, to George and Isabelle Stirton. She was the youngest of four children.

Margaret was raised in Richfield, Idaho, where she worked at the family Cafe and was a Cheerleader in High School. She was the Richifield Outlaw Day Queen in 1959 and graduated from Richfield High School in 1960.

Margaret and her family moved to Mountain Home in 1961. She competed in the 1961 Miss Elmore County Pageant, where she was selected Miss Congeniality. This was a fitting title for her throughout her life.

She attended and graduated from Beauty College in Boise where she attained her Cosmetology License. Margaret worked at the Merc beauty shop then went on to manage the Le Beauty Manor Beauty Shop in Mountain Home.

She Met the Love of her life, Melvin Swenson, in 1962, and they married in 1965. She was blessed with two children, Steve in 1965 and Tim in 1966.

Margaret opened her own Beauty Shop, Margaret's Kut And Kurl, in 1970, where she worked out of her home for many years. Mel and Margaret owned and operated the Country Corner Market on Canyon Creek Road from 1980 to 2003, where she enjoyed meeting new people and made many lifelong friends.

After retiring in 2003, Mel and Margaret lived in Mountain home until moving to Nampa in 2010 to be closer to their family.

Margaret loved being with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She never missed any of their activities, football, marching band, soccer or volleyball. They were the love of her life.

She was an avid BSU fan, going to football and basketball games and hosting BSU parties for family and friends. She loved to go to Jackpot and play the slot and video poker machines, where it seemed she was always coming home a winner.

Camping was one of her favorite activities as long as she had her camp trailer to sleep in, not on the ground or in a tent. She loved traveling, going to Branson, Mo., Las Vegas, Hawaii, on cruises to Alaska and Mexico and many other places. Margaret loved to dance, even teaching line dancing with Mel at the Sage Brush Shufflers Hall in Mountain Home.

After suffering a stroke in 2014, which affected her speech, Margaret worked hard to overcome it and had made great progress before her passing.

She is survived by: her husband, Melvin Swenson of Nampa; sons Steve Swenson of Meridian and Tim (Bonnie) Swenson of Nampa; brothers Conrad (Helen) Morley of Arlington, Wash.; and Dwain (Maxine) Stirton of Richfield; grandchildren Keven (Heather) Swenson of Caldwell, Patrick (Audra) Swenson of Wilder, Kaitlynn Swenson of Nampa and Trevor, Carlee, Tyler Swenson of Meridian. She also leaves behind four great grandchildren with another due in August.

Margaret was preceded in death by her father, George Stirton; her mother, Isabelle Northrop and step father Lyle Northrop; and sister Carol Robinson.

A viewing will be held at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel on Wednesday, June 1, 2016, from 4 to 6 p.m. followed by a Rosary at 6 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 2, 2016, at 10 a.m. at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel, with burial to follow at Mountain View Cemetery, in Mountain Home.