Jean Swanson, 85, of Mendota died Feb. 23, 2012, in her residence. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota with the Rev. Michael Morrell officiating. Interment of ashes at Restland Cemetery will be at a later date. Visitation is 2-4 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home. She was born Nov. 13, 1926, in Coggin, Iowa, to Orrie and Shirley (Holcomb) Watkins. She married AlbertSwanson on Oct. 14, 1950, in Moline. She was a graduate of Moline High School and Augustana College with a major in English. She taught in elementary grade schools at Dimmick, Waltham, Peru and Tiskilwa. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, the Azure chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and Gallilee White Shrine. She was active with La Salle County Genealogy Society, Campfire Girls, Boy Scouts and Mendota Community Theater. She is survived by one daughter, Dennet Lenz of Island Lake; three sons, Andrew Swanson of Mendota, Brian Swanson of Wyandotte, Okla., and Colin (Sharon) Swanson of Pasco, Wash.; six grandchildren; one great-grandson; and one niece, Heather Rundell of Mendota. She was preceded in death by her husband on May 12, 2006; and one sister, Sharon Harris. Memorials may be directed to Parkinson's Foundation.