Obituary: Blanche Swanson Burton

Blanche Swanson Burton 1914 ~ 2006 Our wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend, Blanche Swanson Burton passed away on Wednesday, May 24, 2006, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born February 18, 1914, in Tooele, Utah, to David Konrad and Olga Olson Swanson. She married Harold N. Burton (her across the street neighbor) on October 6, 1937, in the Salt Lake Temple and together they had five children. Harold passed away in 1989 after 52 years of marriage. Blanche did many things in her life, but she was first and foremost a "Mom." She loved and supported each of us in every way. We always knew we were loved and cared for. Blanche was a lifelong member of the LDS Church and she was always engaged in the service of others. She and her husband served two missions for the Church--one in the Calgary Alberta Canada Mission working on the Blood Indian Reservation and the other in the Salt Lake City Inner City Mission. They also served many years together as ordinance workers in the Salt Lake Temple. She always desired to be "doing something" in the church. She made hundreds of quilts for the Church's Humanitarian Center. She liked to imagine how a baby or a child would look or how they would feel wrapped up in one of her quilts. Each one was made with the true spirit of giving to help in time of need. Blanche and Harold loved to square dance and they made many good and longtime friends participating in that activity. She also was the family historian -collecting and documenting stories and facts from many generations leaving us with a great appreciation for our ancestors. Blanche is survived by three children: Bishop H. David (Barbara) Burton, Nola (Keith) Davies, Elaine (Frank) Hansen; one sister, Arlene (Ralph) Jackson; and one brother, Denzil (Pat) Swanson. She was an extremely proud grandmother of 13 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, two infant sons, her parents, one sister, and one brother. The family wishes to thank the staff of the Woodland Park Rehabilitation Center for the loving care shown our mother and family during the last few months. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 30, 2006, at 12:00 noon in the Grandview 2nd Ward Chapel, 2930 S. 2000 E., Salt Lake City. A viewing for family and friends will be held Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the chapel. Interment will be in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Funeral directors, Wasatch Lawn Mortuary.