Lynne Ross Swanger, 70, of Spirit Lake, passed away on Thursday, September 7, 2023, at Accura Healthcare of Spirit Lake.
Services for Lynne will be held at Arrowwood Resort & Conference Center in Okoboji on Thursday, September 21st, at 10 a.m. A lunch catered by Lynne’s daughter Dona will follow the service. The Robinson Funeral Home is assisting the family. Online condolences may be left at www.spiritlakefuneralhome.com
Lynne was born on June 25, 1953, to Keith and Elveda (Knutson) Ross in Spirit Lake, IA. She graduated from Spirit Lake High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista University in Spencer. In her earlier years she was passionate about fashion, make-up, hair, interior design, as well as other art forms. She remained passionate about these things, but being a mother was Lynne’s earliest and biggest dream. After becoming a mother, she devoted most of her time to her children. She enjoyed watching her first daughter (Megan) become a mother, her second daughter (Paige) explore her different passions and talents and supporting and hearing about her third daughter’s (Dona) career goals. She enjoyed having booths in antique stores and flea markets. Lynne worked alongside her daughter Megan at a local daycare, and with her daughter Dona at the McDonald’s in Okoboji. Lynne was a born-again Christian. Her relationship with God was very important to her.
In her free time, she enjoyed watching TV and movies. Lynne loved to sit outside on her deck and enjoy nature. She also enjoyed collecting dolls. She would often take the dolls she collected and fix them up and resell them. Lynne loved comedy and laughing. She loved animals and treated her pets like family.
Left to cherish her memory are her 3 daughters, Megan Odefey-McManaway of Largo, FL; Paige; and Dona Swanger of Spirit Lake; son-in-law Randy McManaway of Largo, FL; mother, Elveda Ross of Spirit Lake; four grandchildren, Traju’n Luze, Dominick Odefey, Finley McManaway, and Arabella McManaway; her sister, Susan Howe of Spencer, IA; brother-in-law, Tom Howe of Spencer, IA; and niece, Gayle Conover of Okoboji, IA
She was preceded in death by her father, Keith Ross; her grandparents, Hobart and Alta Ross; and niece, Kristin Howe.
