Christopher Swenson
June 25, 1956 - November 26, 2015
Obituary
Chris was born to Roy and Nancy Swenson in Maine and raised in New York near West Point along the Hudson River. He moved to the western part of the United Stated to attend college in Idaho studying forestry. He lived a lifestyle of adventure, always willing to learn new things. He was a ranch hand and had many stories to share about his adventures of being a green horn fixing fence, birthing calves and guiding hunters in his early years. A man of much creativity, Chris had many hobbies in woodworking, photography, camping, fossil hunting, reading, antiquing and target shooting. In 1978 he met and married Lenore Kibler and had two beautiful children Tyler and Kylie and created many memories of camping trips and storytelling and admiring nature. He and Lenore later divorced and Chris built his log cabin nearby so he could co-parent and be a part of the kids' everyday lives. Chris was a one man operation and proud owner of Arrowhead Lawn Service in which he ran for over 30 years. He had many customers that loved him as a friend as well as their "lawn guy". Many thanks got out to them for being loyal customers and friends. In 1999 a new love story began when he and Kathy Schafer began dating and then married in 2002 in a chapel in Red Lodge and joined their families together. Chris and Kathy enjoyed almost 17 years of trips to Red Lodge, Yellowstone National Park, playing Yahtzee, sitting on the deck and enjoying their grandchildren. With the help of many he built another log cabin which was their weekend getaway. He will be surely missed by so many friends and family but will always be remembered as a true loving spirit. Chris is survived by wife Kathy; son, Tyler (Meghann) Swenson; daughter, Kylie (Paul) Bradley; stepsons, Paul and Chris Schafer; step daughter, Angela (Thom) Jones; father, Roy (Ada) Swenson; mother, Nancy Swenson; brothers, Mark (Valerie), Kenny (Joanne) and Matthew (Chrissy) Swenson; sister, Kathy (Jim) Liguori; grandchildren, Azaria, Aurora, Elynnor, Kellan, Lucy, Ryker, and Zoe; and many nieces and nephews. A Celebration Of Life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 12th at Dahl Funeral Chapel. Please bring your stories and memories as these were his wishes for his service.
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Memories
E
Elias
Family •
I miss you every day, Grandpa. There's this song that I've been listening to a lot and it has one part that says "I wish you could know me, and I wish I could know you so much more sometimes." I feel that so often when I think of you. I wish you could have been around longer so you could watch me grow into the person I am, and I wish more than anything I could learn more from you. I wish you could have seen me come out as transgender, I wish you could have seen me graduate, I wish you could have held me after the first time my heart was broken, or after I got in my first car crash, or all the times I've felt hopeless. I wish you could see me now, and I wish you could tell me you're proud of me. I know you would be if you were here, but I still ask that question every day. I wish I could have listened to all your stories, I wish I could have told you all of mine. I wish you were there to scold me when I kept messing up as a teenager, and I wish you could hug me after and reassure me you still love me no matter what. I have a million things I wish we could have done, but at the same time, I'm so grateful for what we did do. I'm grateful for your kindness and compassion and love for me. I'm grateful for the way you nurtured my creativity and adventurous spirit. I'm grateful for all our trips into nature together, even if it was just catching grasshoppers in the backyard. I'm so lucky to be the first grandkid, because it meant I got to connect with you like none other. I hope you're resting peacefully and that if there really is an afterlife waiting for us, that you're living it up in a log cabin with an extra room for me. I love you, Grandpa. I'll always hold you close to my heart.
M
Marge
Other •
We will miss seeing you at all the antique stores but know you'll be enjoying all the surroundings in heaven. Love and prayers to you Kathy. You are so wonderful and we look forward to seeing you soon to give you hugs . Your in our thoughts and prayers. Marge, Bill and Sandi
CS
Chris Sorensen
Other •
I sure remember Chris as the Lawn Guy. A nice man. Told us he was from the Catskills. Haven't seen him in years.. Always wondered what became of him. In deepest sympathy.
CS
Chrissy Swenson
Other •
When I first met Chris he looked like someone who had just walked out of a John Wayne movie. That is still the image that always comes to my mind after all these years when I think of him or hear his name. I liked him immediately after meeting him and loved him when he welcomed me as his new sister into the Swenson Family when Matt & I were married in 1983. He was such an amazing man with so much love for the "adventure of life" in the great outdoors. He always had fun stories to share, time to lend a hand and the gentleness to appreciate all around him. He captured a lot of the beauty he saw through the eye of a camera to share with family and friends. He found great joy in his family that was first in his heart. He shared his passions with not only his kids Tyler, Kylie, Paul, Chris and Angela but their friends & also his grandchildren. Many "seeds" were planted over the years, now its up to all of us to nurture them with love he shared so they will live on & perhaps grow into a new passion for the adventure of life. I look forward to seeing Chris' new cabin in the mountains in Heaven someday. Forever in my heart, always loved. Rest in Peace dear Chris. I love you.
JB
Jan And Terry Byrd
Other •
We met Chris through his son, Tyler. He was a very compassionate father. Truly gifted in woodworking. Always had a smile ready that reached his eyes. So sorry for your loss Tyler. We were just talking to Travis about him during Thanksgiving. Wondering where he was.
GB
Gayle & Rick Berg
Other •
Memories of a good good man. Chris worked for us here in Lennep around 1981 on the BERG Ranch. He was a delightful upbeat happy person. We spent a lot of time together in the pickup fencing and feeding hay and a lot of time on horses riding in the back country. He was a great guy to work with and we missed him when he left. Both Gayle and I did meet up with Chris and Lenore one time in Billings and met the young kids - but it had been a long time since connecting as of late. We always wanted him to return for a visit here but that didn't happen either. We send our sincere condolences to all of you - wonder whether he was sick for some time or whether this was sudden. Know he will be missed by many and most certainly he was too young to die. We really would have tried to attend the funeral yesterday but just arrived home last evening and then read his obit. We are truly saddened and hope his memory will sustain you all in the days and months ahead. Feel free to stop by the ranch anytime. BEST to you all. Rick and Gayle Berg, Martinsdale, MT.