Dora Swanson

Dora Edna Margaruta Salo Swanson was born July 21, 1923 in Wapella, SK. She was the 5th of 12 siblings: Arvo, Allie, Lila, Bob, Dora, Celia, Rudy, Ron, Archie, Roy, Harley & Darlene. She grew up in a small community which consisted mainly of Finnish families that had settled there. It was known as “New Finland”.

Her father Aaron Salo was born in Laihia, Finland in in 1892 and died in 1958. He was a blacksmith and had his shop on the family farm. He was very skilled at his trade and able to make all of his own tools. He would often shoe horses and fix sleighs. Due to the hard economic times in the 1930’s he also converted many cars into rubber-wheeled wagons that could be pulled by horses because people couldn’t afford the price of gas. He did all his work very cheaply but he never turned anyone down, even if they couldn’t afford to pay. Because of the family business they always had enough to eat and keep the family going during the Depression.

Her mother Jenny was born in Tappen, BC in 1896 and died in 1980. She was a patient, hard-working mother, washing clothes on a washboard for a family of twelve children. Every two weeks she baked a 100lb. bag of flour into bread and buns, baked in a wood burning stove. Her sewing machine was constantly on the go as she was a seamstress who made most of the clothing for the entire family (without a pattern) along with doing custom sewing as a side business. Jenny would bake bread and sweets and always had a pot of coffee going which we all know that was something that Dora inherited!

Growing up Dora loved doing outdoor activities with her siblings such as playing softball (when her brothers would allow it) and riding on the bikes that her brother Arvo would make out of parts that he found from the dump. Her dad would make skates in his shop that they’d use to play hockey on the pond.

Her mom taught her to sew and card wool. She and her siblings had to travel over a mile to school. Since the teachers spoke only English they weren’t allowed to speak Finnish at school and were made to write lines if they were caught.

Her first job was when she moved to Winnipeg in 1941. She worked at two different boarding houses doing cooking and cleaning. She met her husband Arthur Swanson December 7, 1941 in Winnipeg. When she was preparing to move, her mother warned her to not to fall in love with the first soldier she met. Art was the first soldier she met. Her brother Bob was in the army based in Portage La Prairie and became friendly with Art and coaxed him to come and visit one weekend. Art and Dora became close and once Art was posted overseas in 1942 they started writing. By the time Art and Bob came back from overseas Dora had moved to Grenfell, SK and was managing an egg candling plant. Art moved there to be closer and proposed a while later. They were married on July 7, 1946 in Wapella, SK.

They had 3 children – Randell (Randy) born 1947, Brenda Margaret born 1952 and Paul Eric born 1954.

Randy married Armi Alander on August 31, 1974. They reside in Richmond, ON

Brenda married Al Percival on November 16, 1974 . They have 2 children - Sara born 1976 and Jeremy born 1978. Sara married Stephane Higgs in 1998 and resides in Kanata, ON. Jeremy married Anja Boskovic in 2011 and they reside in Kanata, ON.

Sadly Brenda passed away suddenly on July 14, 2020.

Paul married Deborah Gay Johnson September 10, 1976. They had a daughter Justina born 1979. Justina married Jarett Braun in 2002 and they reside in Winnipeg, MB.

Paul passed away in an accident on August 26, 1980 in Hull, QC.

Dora had an early interest in the Bible. Her dad was called on by Jehovah’s Witnesses and had a few books in Finnish that she tried reading but her mom told her that she wouldn’t understand them. Once married, Dora and Art moved around to a few different places and in every place Jehovah’s Witnesses called on her and she would read the publications left with her and eventually she and Art began studying the Bible with Smith Shuttleworth.

Once they moved to Vancouver in January of 1954 they started associating with a local congregation and got baptized at a Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1955.

All 3 children moved out to Ontario & Quebec after finishing school and Dora and Art followed them there and settled in Ottawa. They were very active in the preaching work and even enrolled in French Language classes in order to help with a need that was required in the area.

Dora treasured her family and showed it in so many ways. She provided her children and grandchildren with many good memories. Some of her grandchildren’s favourite memories were of her playing jokes and laughing at little things or her just sitting and listening when any of them had things to talk about. She was always busy but always would make time to sit with a cup of coffee or one of her fresh baked cookies or butter tarts if someone needed. She instilled a love of serving Jehovah in her children and grandchildren.

Art passed away on December 31, 1999. Dora was able to stay in the same apartment that they’d been in since 1978. She continued to keep preaching via telephone despite many health issues with a group of good friends who came to her house twice a week. She helped over 30 individuals learn about the Bible and Jehovah and come to the point of dedication and baptism.

She kept her mind sharp by reading her daily Bible text in 3 languages and doing advanced Sudoku and word puzzles. She even learned how to get on Facebook and Instagram in her 90’s and would send us all frequent emails though she never could figure out how to type punctuation marks!

Her humour and laugh are something that all of us will remember about her. Despite difficult circumstances she always found something to laugh and smile about. She was always positive and upbuilding. She talked very often about being able to see her son Paul, her daughter Brenda and her husband Art as well as her parents and siblings that had predeceased her in the Paradise. Her faith in her God Jehovah and the hope of the Paradise were what kept her strong until the end.

We look forward to seeing her again soon “When Death Will Be No More”.

On behalf of the family, we would like to thank you so much for your kindness and friendship to Dora and for the kindness that you are showing towards her family as we grieve her loss. We would greatly appreciate if you would sign the guest book below or share a memory of Dora or a picture which can be uploaded for the family to see.

if you would like to contact any of the family directly with any questions or comments please see below

Randy Swanson (son) Randy.swanson@sympatico.ca

Sara Higgs (granddaughter) sara.higgs76@gmail.com

Jeremy Percival (grandson) Jeremy.percival@gmail.com

Justina Braun (granddaughter) justinabraun@gmail.com