La Conner Weekly News - Your independent hometown award-winning newspaper

1920-2014

Lifelong La Conner resident Peter Kermit Swanson died Saturday, January 25 at age 93.

He was born on Easter Sunday, April 4, 1920, the fourth son of Anton and Anna Swanson, joining brothers Austin, Vincent and Vernon.

At 14 years old, Kermit was issued a driver’s license. Kermit drove the delivery truck for his dad and Uncle Axel, the owners of the Palace Meat Market in La Conner. He handed out so many free wieners to children, it’s a miracle the meat market made any money.

A farmer all his life, Kermit hit it big with a bumper cabbage crop in 1939. To celebrate he and Vernon bought a new car and took the folks to San Francisco to the world’s fair — quite an adventure in those days for a couple of young country farmers.

Kermit excelled in sports. He was a star basketball player for La Conner High School in the days when the team played Mount Vernon and Anacortes.

After graduating from La Conner High School, he continued his athletic ways. He won a large collection of bowling trophies and competed around the state. He loved to fish and hunt. At 86 after one of his best golf games, Kermit put away the golf clubs — a winner knows when to quit.

Kermit was fun-loving. He was quick with a joke, enjoyed a good laugh, and never lost that mischievous twinkle in his eye. He was teasing his family and caregivers right up to the end.

Kermit will be greatly missed by many friends and relatives.

As much as he loved us all, he was ready to say good-bye and join family and friends who have gone before him.

Please join us in a celebration of his life. Graveside services at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 1, followed by lunch at the Farmhouse Restaurant at 11:30 a.m.

Viewing will be held at Kern Funeral Home Friday, January 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Kern Funeral Home.