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Merva Adella (Mrs. Vincent) Swanson
Visitation: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM Kramer Family Funeral Home Sherburn, MN Visitation: Thursday, April 9, 2009 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM St. John's Lutheran Church Sherburn, MN Service: Thursday, April 9, 2009 1:00 PM St. John's Lutheran Church Sherburn, MN	VIEW/SEND CONDOLENCES
Merva Adella Manzey was born on March 6, 1921 to John and Minnie (Grupe) Manzey on the family farm in Manyaska Township, Martin County, Minnesota. She was baptized on April 3, 1921 and later confirmed on May 7, 1933 both at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sherburn. Merva Adella received her education in country school in Manyaska Township and later was a 1938 Graduate of Sherburn High School. She then was employed at M.N. Johnson Department Store in Sherburn. On August 31, 1941, she was united in marriage to Vincent A. Swanson at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sherburn, Minnesota by Rev. Leonard Ruthenbeck. After their marriage they farmed in Jay Township and later moved to a farm near Alpha,then to a farm in Fox Lake Township until moving to a farm in Manyaska Township where they farmed happily together for twenty-seven years and raised three children, Vance, Vern and Valerie and were successful farmers. In January of 1974 they built their new home and moved into Sherburn where they had twenty-six years together there. Together they served members of the Sherburn Community by delivering Meals on Wheels for many years. Vincent died on March 25, 1999. Merva Adella later moved to Temperance Lake Ridge Assisted Living in Sherburn and then to the Trimont Health Care Center. Merva Adella was a life-long and very active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School for over thirty-eight years, taught Release Time and attended the Afternoon Mission Guild and held many offices in the LWML where she was a life-time member and was Zone President. She also was on the funeral committee for many years. She was a member of the Martin County Historical Society and participated on the Sherburn All School Reunion. Merva Adella was awarded the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging “Golden Heart Award” for her many hours of volunteer community service in May of 2005. Merva Adella will long be remembered for her commitment to family, friends, church, members of the community and for her strong and unwavering faith in God. On Monday afternoon, April 6, 2009, Merva Adella died at the Trimont Health Care Center in Trimont, Minnesota at the age of Eighty-eight years. Merva Adella is survived by her children, Vance (Jeanne) Swanson of Waseca, Minnesota, Vern (Mary) Swanson of rural Sherburn, Minnesota, Valerie (Neil) Sussenguth of Willmar, Minnesota; nine grandchildren, Colby Swanson and his fiancée, Shannon Schonrock, Peter Swanson, John Patrick Swanson, Ashley Swanson, Sara Steiner and husband, Kelly, Joe Sussenguth and wife, Marci, Sam, Mary and Casey Sussenguth; two great-grandchildren, Albert Steiner and Nolan Sussenguth; many nieces, nephews who were very important to her life and other relatives and friends. Merva Adella is preceded in death by her parents, husband, Vincent, mother and father-in-law, Oscar and Olga Swanson; her brothers, Henry, Leo and Floyd Manzey; sisters-in-law, Lanore, Irene, LoVetta, Ethel, Eva and Elsie; brothers-in-law, Leland, Lloyd and Kenneth; by Janet and Shirley and nephew, Dale; and other relatives and friends. Interment will be in the Sherburn Cemetery in Sherburn, Minnesota.