116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Obituaries
The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Kathryn Mae Swanson
Kathryn Mae Swanson
Cedar Rapids
Kathryn Mae Swanson passed from this life on July 16, 2025.
She was born in Mason City, Iowa on September 7, 1936, to Carl and Edna Ashland, joining siblings Kenny, Lloyd and Linda, all who preceded her in death.
Kathryn met Larry Swanson at the famous Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. She joked that when he asked her out multiple times, she finally relented so he would stop asking! They were married on October 16, 1960. Due to Larry’s job, they relocated to Muscatine and then to Cedar Rapids, where they raised their family. Larry preceded her in death in May 2022.
Kathryn enjoyed collecting statues of cardinals, watching Westerns, and gardening. She always had something to say, or an opinion to give. She was a longtime Willie Nelson fan.
Surviving family includes children, Dave (Sandi) Swanson, Kris (Tom) McDermott, Jim (Brenda) Swanson, and Lee (Stacy) Swanson; grandchildren, Caden, Mallory (Jake), Kelby, Alyssa, Clare, Cael, Brynn and Easton; step-granddaughter, Tiffany (Brian) Jergenson; and step-great-grandchildren, Gwenyth and Camden.
Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 22, at Murdoch Funeral Home, 520 Wilson Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Service will follow at 11 a.m., with a luncheon to follow.
Please share a memory of Kathryn at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
Daily Newsletters