Dorothy Beckwith Swenson, December 29, 1918 — March 19, 2019

Dorothy (Beckwith) Swenson, of West Hartford, died March 19, 2019. She was 100 years old. Dorothy was born on her family farm in Saybrook, Connecticut on December 29, 1918.

At the age of four, Dorothy with her family moved to Hartford; however for many years, she returned to spend summers at her grandmother’s farm. She was graduated from Hartford High School, Class of 1937. Growing up, Dorothy was very active in South Park Methodist Church, singing in the choir and participating in youth activities.

She began her life-long interest in dancing by taking tap-dancing lessons as a child. In October of 1940, Dorothy married C. Herbert Swenson and they lived in Hartford, West Hartford, and Newington for most of the sixty-two years of their marriage. Mr. Swenson died in March of 2003.

They had two children, Karen Elizabeth Jones of Newington, and Mark Herbert Swenson of Midlothian, VA. In addition to her roles as a loving homemaker and mother, Dorothy held several positions with Mercer & Dunbar Armored Car Service, Morrisson & Cheney Insurance Agency, and South Park Methodist Church. She retired from St. Francis School of Nursing Medical Library after eight years of service.

She also ran a day-care center for preschool age children for several years. Throughout her life, Dorothy sang in a total of four church choirs, volunteered for various church commissions, and maintained an avid interest in classical music and dancing. In later years, she was a member of Elmwood Community Church, where she handled publicity, and was also a member of the Newington Singing Swinging Seniors from 1985 to 1995, where she both sang and tap-danced.

Surviving Dorothy besides her daughter and son are her daughter-in-law, Marilynn Swenson of Midlothian, VA; her sister Marianne Bendot of West Hartford; and her brother, Donald Griswold of Avon as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her brother, Irwin “Bud” Beckwith; and her sister Ethel Buck and husband Ernest Buck as well as her parents Walter and Flora Beckwith. Calling hours are from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 22nd at the Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home, 136 South Main St., West Hartford.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 23rd at the funeral home with the Rev. David Congdon officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorial donations be made to Connecticut Humane Society, 701 Russell Road, Newington, CT 06111, in memory of Dorothy’s lifelong love of animals.

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