Erik Swanson

Erik Christopher Swanson, 53, of Humboldt Iowa, passed away Monday October 7, 2024, in his home near Bode. Erik was born October 2, 1971, in Evanston, IL, the son of James and Diane (Johnson) Swanson, brother of Karin Sande. The family lived in Park Forest South, Illinois until 1978, when they moved to Humboldt. Erik, aka Swandog, Swanny and Lothar, forged deep roots in Humboldt and considered it his true home despite moving multiple times throughout his adult life. 

During his youth, Erik was a robust and athletic boy who enjoyed being in scouts and playing baseball, football and rugby. He attended Humboldt High School, playing trombone in band and loved participating in theater musicals, such as Music Man. Erik graduated in 1990, then attended Iowa Central Community College for a while, studying some of his passions, horticulture and astronomy. He then relocated to Fort Dodge where he unveiled his inner rock star and joined a band named Fokken. Shortly thereafter, he was recruited to flex his brawn and keep the peace as a bouncer in Cedar Falls. It was during this time, he began a regular job at Schwan’s Foods and quickly found his niche in sales, winning multiple awards. This ultimately led him to a new opportunity in management with Schwan’s in New Jersey. Unwilling to settle in the food industry, Erik switched career paths to a furniture store, the Dump, where the history and beauty of Persian rugs captured his soul. He had great success managing the rug department, such that he would pioneer the opening of The Dump’s stores in Houston and then Dallas.

It was in Dallas where Erik met the future mother of his child, Kristin Lundberg. They were blessed with Ren Diane Swanson, their daughter, and then married on December 10, 2012. Despite Erik’s charm, intelligence, quick wit and zest for adventure, the marriage dissolved, and in 2017, Erik relocated back to his home, Humboldt. Erik began a position at Chantland Manufacturing, while staying true to his social nature, enjoying trivia, music and grilling…. Especially grilling!

Erik is survived by his daughter, Ren, and her mother Kristin Lundberg, both of Dallas, his sister Karin Sande of Arnolds Park, his nephews Ethan, Eli and Jonah Sande, great-nieces Inarah and Ivyana Sande. 

Although having never enrolled at Iowa, Erik was a lifelong and diehard Hawkeye. He also had a never yielding love of music. A memorial gathering will be held 1:00pm to 3:00pm on Saturday, November 9th, 2024. Please don your Hawkeye or music tees or something that shows your passion  to celebrate Erik’s life at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral and Cremation Service in Humboldt.

www.masonlindhart.com