Celebrating a Life
Janice (Swenson) Hunter went home to be with the Lord on August 10, 2023. She was thankful to God for blessing her with so many family members and life-long friends.
Born as the third of seven children on May 14, 1945, Jan and her siblings shared a Dore, North Dakota farm life upbringing led by her parents Gyda (Holey) Swenson and Kermit Swenson. The Holey family was well-known in the western North Dakota area as pioneer pastors. Mikkel Holey and his wife Thena Olson Western planted many Lutheran churches in the area and would even ski between them in the winter to deliver the sermon. The Swenson family farm where Jan grew up was originally owned by Aaron Swenson and Joan Youngstrom and provided a plethora of farm chores to keep her and her siblings busy both before and after school. Jan attended elementary school in Dore and East Fairview, ND and completed her high school education in Fairview, MT graduating in 1963.
After high school, Jan started her college career at Waldorf College in Iowa. She enjoyed college life so much and made many life-long friends there. After one year at Waldorf, she transferred to Mayville State College in Mayville, ND to complete her teaching credentials and began her teaching career.
Jan started teaching in Fertile, MN and boarded with her two other roommates at the home of Clara and Clarence Roe, paying only $35 each month for rent – laundry, ironing and folding included with the price. She was very proud of the first car she ever bought – a light blue Chevy Chevelle – and had that car during the time she and Milo courted. Almost 5 years later, she moved to Paynesville, MN to continue her career.
Jan married Milo Hunter on August 21, 1971 at Zion Lutheran Church in Fairview, MT. They began their married life in a rented bungalow off Main Street as Jan taught school and Milo farmed west of Fairview. In 1973, they welcomed their daughter, Nancy, to the fold and 1979, adopted their son Gregg.
Prior to the birth of their daughter, Jan battled cancer for the first time in 1974 and was later declared in remission. She was always supporting worthy causes and shone a light on the American Cancer Society, driving Nancy around with her to request donations from the neighbors.
Jan and Milo moved 3 miles to the farm west of Fairview where Jan was a stay-at-home mom for many years and a ranch wife, which kept her very busy. Jan felt strongly about fostering children and consequently, fostered 3 small children in between the birth of Nancy and the adoption of Gregg: Mary and Johnny, Crow Native Americans siblings from the greater Billings area and Billy, a young child from Eastern Montana.
When Gregg was in kindergarten, Jan returned to teaching in the Fairview School system until the spring of 1993.
Jan was a very active member of Zion Lutheran Church, where she served faithfully for many years. She led the music for Sunday School, taught Sunday School, and worked with Karen Seifert on after school musical programs. She directed the junior choir and lead the “Circle” group Bible Studies as well. Additionally, she served as President of the WELCA, sang in the adult church choir and was on the worship music committee planning hymns for the entire church calendar year. Finally, she was also an active member of Lutheran World Relief sewing circle.
In 1994, Jan and Milo moved to Wahpeton, ND as Milo took a role working for a big farmer in the area while Jan worked at Wahpeton State College. Later, after Gregg graduated from Wahpeton High in 1998, they would move to back to the Fairview/Williston area as Jan took a teaching role at Williston State College until she retired. She very much enjoyed her college-aged students and certainly held many teaching peers as dear friends from that time in her career.
Upon retirement, Jan and Milo moved to Billings, MT where Jan continued to enjoy sewing, quilting, crossword/wordsearch puzzles and music. On the health front, she had open heart surgery and then would later battle late-stage heart disease and a return of the cancer, this time in her lungs.
Through it all, she kept the faith, remaining active at Joy Lutheran in Billings, MT and found much comfort and support in her family, friends and loved ones.
Surviving Jan is her husband, Milo, a daughter, Nancy, a son, Gregg; a brother Wayne Swenson (Sylvia); sisters Susan Schock (Oscar), Carolyn Nenow (Doug), Laurie Bigwood (Charles), and Kerry Finsaas (Darrell), brother-in-law Lyle Sponheim and numerous nieces and nephews, including great nieces/nephews. Also survived by sister-in-law Sandra (Hunter) Iverson, brother-in-law Morris Hunter (Lili) and several dear nieces and nephews. Jan was preceded in death by her parents, Kermit and Gyda Swenson, sister Connie Sponheim, mother and father in-law Vera and Curtis Hunter, brother-in-law Robert Hunter, brother-in-law Tex Iverson and numerous aunts and uncles.
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Friday August 18, 2023
Fairview Alliance Church
322 7th Street
Fairview, Montana 59221
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Friday August 18, 2023
Fairview Alliance Church
322 7th Street
Fairview, Montana 59221
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Lynn Anderson says
Milo and Family,
I was saddened to learn of Janice’s passing. May God give you comfort during this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with you.