Dorothy Faye Swanson

Dorothy Faye Swanson was born Dorothy Kletke in Monroe, Washington on July 9, 1938, to Faye and Gustav Kletke. Dorothy had a sister, Shirley, and two brothers, John and Paul. Her family relocated from Washington to Parma, Idaho, where Dorothy attended Parma High School. She had an active social life and excelled at tennis, eventually become a two-time Idaho State Champion.
Dorothy attended the College of Idaho, graduating with a degree in Education. During her college years, she met her soulmate, Leland Swanson. They were married June 26, 1959 and settled in Caldwell, Idaho to start their family. Dorothy enjoyed working at Caldwell High School and West Canyon Elementary School, as well as continued involvement in her sorority and AAUW.
After her children were grown, Dorothy and Leland moved to Boise, where she continued working with children at Little Lambs Preschool and Maranatha Christian School. While teaching youngsters was her passion, she eventually retired but remained heavily involved with her church activities, volunteering at a local elementary school, and occasional get-togethers with her fellow Parma graduates.
Dorothy’s Christian beliefs were strong and propelled her through her lifetime. After the passing of her beloved Leland in 1999, she found serenity and a home with the Catholic Church. Her faith and family remained of the utmost importance to Dorothy, and brought her comfort and a host of new friends.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, her cherished husband, Leland Swanson, and her siblings Shirley and Paul. She is survived by her brother, John Kletke and his son, Chris, as well as her daughter Lori Ostensen (Eric), son Kevin (Ha-Le), grandchildren Hailey Dressler (Joe), Erin Ostensen, Andrew Swanson (Alex Hughes), and her three great-grandchildren, Lily, Layla, and Silas Dressler.
Dorothy died peacefully at home on December 5, 2018. Deepest thanks to all who kept that incredible smile perpetually on her face. We would also like to express our sincerest gratitude to the staff of Mountain View Medical Center, Grace Assisted Living, and St. Luke’s hospital and hospice teams for providing our sweet Dorothy with the best care and compassion anyone could ask for.
A small memorial will be held for the benefit of her Catholic family members on Wednesday, December 19th at St Mark’s chapel at 11:00 am. A family commitment service for Dorothy and Leland will be held at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens on Thursday, December 20th, 1:00 PM followed by an open lunch reception at the Hong Kong restaurant in Nampa at 2:00 pm. All are welcome, but please notify the family if you plan to attend the reception.