Claudine Swedlund, 101, of Winner, SD passed away on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at the Winner Regional Long-Term Care Facility.  Funeral service will be held on Monday, October 5th, 2020 at 11:00AM at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Winner, SD.  Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to funeral service.

Anita Claudine Ferguson was born in Harrisonville, Missouri, to Nita and Claude on December 11, 1918 — right in the middle of a pandemic, and as it turns out, she left us during a second pandemic nearly 102 years later.

Not even ten years under her belt and Claude took his family north with the hope of finding work on the railroad being built in South Dakota. Along with her younger brother Dess, the family settled in an apartment in Witten. There wasn't much money, and the living was hard — today we call it poverty — and three squares a day weren't always easy to come by. That's the thing about growing up poor; she learned that there's something about taking the time to acknowledge what you have, as meager as it may be. It served her well decade after decade.

With her marriage to Sandy Swedlund in 1940, Claudine became a rancher's wife and soon the mother of three children, each with her uniquely charming stubborn streak and eyes that told a story with just a glisten. She was proud of her family. She and Sandy created a marriage and livelihood that made the most of what they had, and despite everything that worked against American ranchers in the middle of the 20th century, they worked hard and managed on their own terms.

When she was interviewed by the Winner paper about her trick to making it to 100, she simply said, "I did as I pleased." Truly a fiercely independent woman before her time, she knew that her contribution to the world meant every bit as much as her husband's did.

Notable mentions that should be recognized are her travels, including to Ireland at the age of 84 with her son. There wasn't a spider in all of Tripp County that stood a chance at Claudine's house, so they knew to make their webs elsewhere. She wore heels until her late 90's, and certainly wasn't too shy to share her opinion on your shoes, either.

Claudine cared for her family and friends all as one, all the same. She went with her beloved son, Joel, during his cancer treatments week after week - the same commitment to countless friends over her life.

Other friends should be mentioned, like the group of four women that met for coffee every week for 40-some years, discussing husbands, kids and grands growing up, not to mention the pure, simple, delicious bit of fresh gossip. Her neighbor across the alley, Buck, nourished her competitive spirit by challenging her ability to grow the best tomato, and your goose was cooked if you were faced against her and June in a game of pitch. And yes, the kiddos at church or the restaurants, getting spoiled with a surplus of candy that would make any dentist cringe.

Today our hearts are indecisive: thankful for the years we had with you and yet selfishly yearning to hear your laugh that seemed like it started in your knees. Your fan club is led by your best pal, Ev Moses, son Jerry, and daughter Cheryl. Six grandkids that watched you fry chicken like it was breakin' the law, and great-grands that stand in awe of your neverending ability to make the rules.

We grieved next to you when Sandy left in 1994, and that despite your rallying, Joel's cancer took him too early. We remember your pain when your son-in-law Everett passed, and you worked to offer your strength in all the ways you could. Too many of your friends left early, too, and there isn't room to write down all of those names.

Cherish your relationships, love your experiences, and live with your own brand of kindness, just the way Claudine did.