Kaylene Swanson, 75, of Oakland, Nebraska passed away Monday, April 15, 2024, at CHI Health – Immanuel in Omaha, Nebraska. Memorial service will be held Friday, April 19, 2024 at 10:30am at Salem Covenant Church rural Oakland. Memorial visitation will be Thursday, April 18, from 5-7pm at Salem Covenant Church. Memorials in Lieu of flowers to St. Jude or The Autism Society of Nebraska. Pelan Funeral Services of Oakland is assisting the family with arrangements.
Kaylene Bonita Swanson was born to Wilmer and Bonnie (Heise) Koehler on November 18, 1948. Kay always enjoyed telling the story of her birth, coinciding with the Blizzard of 1948. The snow kept them at the hospital for 10 days! She passed away on April 15, 2024, at CHI Health-Immanuel in Omaha, Nebraska.
Over the years, Kaylene’s family moved around from Pender, Bancroft, rural West Point and Oakland. She graduated from Oakland High School in 1967. After graduation, she worked in Lincoln and Omaha for several years.
Kaylene married Gary “Bird” Swanson on March 22, 1969, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oakland. After the births of Jeramie and Jamie, she became a homemaker until the boys began high school. She started her real estate and insurance business in 1986 after receiving her associate’s degree from Norfolk Community College. Kaylene and Bird bought a cabin on the Missouri River, where she enjoyed spending time with family and friends after retirement. She was a member of Salem Covenant Church, where she enjoyed playing the piano for many years.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her nephew, Chris Johnson.
She is survived by her husband, Gary of Oakland; sons, Jeramie (Amy) and Jamie (Stacie) all of Lincoln, NE; grandchildren: Jacob, David, Jack, Kyleigh, Alexis and Andrew; brothers, Warren (Debbie) Koehler of LaVista, NE and Kevin (Sonia) Koehler of Sioux Center, IA; sister, Vivian (Perry) Chandler of San Antonio, TX; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
