Virginia Swanson
Virginia Louise Swanson's remarkable and love-filled life of ninety-four years ended peacefully on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, surrounded by loving family members.
Virginia Louise Cressman was born on July 17, 1928, in Merced, California. Her mother Emma Comaduran, met her father, Edwin Allen Cressman, while working in a fabric store in downtown San Francisco. Her father died when she was three years old and she grew to spend her childhood in San Francisco surrounded by a caring family who had relocated from Chihuahua, Mexico, following the Mexican Revolution. She was the favorite child and shining light within a large extended family. As a child, she possessed not just physical beauty but a unique personality and force of nature that were endearing to relatives and friends. She became the "adopted" daughter to her beloved Aunt Carmen Byrne, Aunt Marie Coso, and in later life, to family friend Mary Samuels.
During her teenage years, her mother married Jose Izurietta Roman, and they lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her brothers Billy and Robert Roman. After graduating from high school, she married Joaquin Solis and lived in Juarez, Mexico, as well as El Paso, Texas. She gave birth to two children, Barbara Yolanda and Robert Charles. Widowed after only four years of marriage, she moved to California to be with family who could assist her in raising her two small children.
In 1956 she married Charles Brock and bore two more children, Brian Charles and Brenda Colleen. During her married life, she worked as a bookkeeper to help support the family. For work-related reasons, the Brock family relocated often, and she lived in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Scottsdale, Arizona, Farmington, New Mexico, Longview, Washington, El Centro, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco, California.
When her marriage to Charles Brock ended in 1969, she met and married the love of her life Frederick Swanson. Together they lived in San Francisco and became proud grandparents to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After nearly fifty years of a loving marriage to Fred Swanson, who had become a deacon in the Catholic Church, she was widowed in 2016. Together Virginia and Fred created a family home and heart center that many would gravitate to. They raised and educated their granddaughter, Michelle Swanson, and great-grandchildren, Luke and Angelica Swanson and Brittney Swanson-Ohannesyan.
Throughout her life and in her remaining years, Virginia extended a magnanimous, vivacious, and animated personality to family and friends. Her bright smile and generous nature impressed all whom she encountered. She was youthful and spirited and was the much-beloved matriarch to four children, seven grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her son Robert Brock and daughters, Barbara Turner and Brenda Blech. Brothers Billy and Robert Roman. Granddaughters Melinda McCann, Donnell Weldon, Denise Turner, Heather Rylan, and Danielle Blech. Great grandchildren Chad Patton, Kandice Wood, Taylor Weldon, Doyle Dean Thomas, Derrick Thomas, Kaylee Simonsgaard, Luke Swanson, Angelica Swanson, Brittney Swanson-Ohannesyan, Matthew Swanson-Ohannesyan, Emily Swanson-Ohannesyan, and Maddon Rylan. She is predeceased by her son Brian Charles Brock, grandson Ronnie (Shotgun) Turner Jr., granddaughter Michelle Swanson, and great-grandson Keith Patton.
Virginia Louise Cressman was born on July 17, 1928, in Merced, California. Her mother Emma Comaduran, met her father, Edwin Allen Cressman, while working in a fabric store in downtown San Francisco. Her father died when she was three years old and she grew to spend her childhood in San Francisco surrounded by a caring family who had relocated from Chihuahua, Mexico, following the Mexican Revolution. She was the favorite child and shining light within a large extended family. As a child, she possessed not just physical beauty but a unique personality and force of nature that were endearing to relatives and friends. She became the "adopted" daughter to her beloved Aunt Carmen Byrne, Aunt Marie Coso, and in later life, to family friend Mary Samuels.
During her teenage years, her mother married Jose Izurietta Roman, and they lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her brothers Billy and Robert Roman. After graduating from high school, she married Joaquin Solis and lived in Juarez, Mexico, as well as El Paso, Texas. She gave birth to two children, Barbara Yolanda and Robert Charles. Widowed after only four years of marriage, she moved to California to be with family who could assist her in raising her two small children.
In 1956 she married Charles Brock and bore two more children, Brian Charles and Brenda Colleen. During her married life, she worked as a bookkeeper to help support the family. For work-related reasons, the Brock family relocated often, and she lived in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Scottsdale, Arizona, Farmington, New Mexico, Longview, Washington, El Centro, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco, California.
When her marriage to Charles Brock ended in 1969, she met and married the love of her life Frederick Swanson. Together they lived in San Francisco and became proud grandparents to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After nearly fifty years of a loving marriage to Fred Swanson, who had become a deacon in the Catholic Church, she was widowed in 2016. Together Virginia and Fred created a family home and heart center that many would gravitate to. They raised and educated their granddaughter, Michelle Swanson, and great-grandchildren, Luke and Angelica Swanson and Brittney Swanson-Ohannesyan.
Throughout her life and in her remaining years, Virginia extended a magnanimous, vivacious, and animated personality to family and friends. Her bright smile and generous nature impressed all whom she encountered. She was youthful and spirited and was the much-beloved matriarch to four children, seven grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her son Robert Brock and daughters, Barbara Turner and Brenda Blech. Brothers Billy and Robert Roman. Granddaughters Melinda McCann, Donnell Weldon, Denise Turner, Heather Rylan, and Danielle Blech. Great grandchildren Chad Patton, Kandice Wood, Taylor Weldon, Doyle Dean Thomas, Derrick Thomas, Kaylee Simonsgaard, Luke Swanson, Angelica Swanson, Brittney Swanson-Ohannesyan, Matthew Swanson-Ohannesyan, Emily Swanson-Ohannesyan, and Maddon Rylan. She is predeceased by her son Brian Charles Brock, grandson Ronnie (Shotgun) Turner Jr., granddaughter Michelle Swanson, and great-grandson Keith Patton.
