Joan Swanson
HOLDEN-Joan Swanson, 90, the loving daughter of Swedish immigrants, Ivan ( Hilding Ivan Olaf) Lundquist and Florence Cecelia ( Westerholm ) Lundquist passed away peacefully on January 13, 2023, surrounded by family. She fought a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s and was adored by all of her family and caretakers during the process. She was born in Worcester, MA on January 27, 1932. As a child, she lived in Shrewsbury, MA where her parents were the caretakers of the Scandinavian Athletic Club for many years. They eventually moved to her long-term family home in Holden. As a child, she sang in the formal opening of the 1938 tercentenary celebration of the New Sweden settlement in Delaware, performed by the Framat Club, juvenile organization of the Worcester Vasa Committee. She also performed a solo at the age of 5 on ” Broadcasting House Radio “ WORC and many other Swedish celebrations with the Worcester Vasa Committee. Joan graduated from the former Holden High School, Bridgewater State College and did some graduate work at Springfield College. At that time, women were not allowed to complete their master’s degree, but she took as many courses as she was permitted at the time. When doing her student teaching at the YMCA, she met her future husband and love of her life, Dick. They were married for 59 years. Dick predeceased her in death in 2014. They met when dating other people and it was a crash greeting. A few years later, they were married in an elaborate ceremony with the reception being celebrated at her childhood home and catered by her mother and many aunts. Joan was a physical education teacher at Flagg Street School, Tatnuck Street School, and West Boylston High School. She also coached girls’ basketball and field hockey at West Boylston. Joan later taught adaptive physical education at Wachusett Regional High School and in her retirement, was a substitute physical education teacher at Wachusett Regional High School. In their retirement,
