Clarice Victoria Gillquist

Funeral services for Clarice (Swanson) Gillquist will be held on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 11 AM at Milaca Evangelical Free Church in Milaca. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery in Milaca. Clarice was born in Harcourt, Iowa to Hannah and Victor Swanson on August 14, 1920. As a child, she moved with her family to the Worthington, Minnesota area and graduated from Fulda High School. The family moved to the Milaca area in 1940. In May 1941, she began working for the Federal Government as Executive Secretary for the Selective Service. She took leave of work in 1945; returned to work at Selective Service in 1953, and retired in 1976. Clarice was married to Eugene Swanson in September, 1945. They farmed the original family farmstead northwest of Milaca.. During the 1950’s, Clarice and Gene were involved in ministry with American Sunday School Union at Tibbets Brook. Later, she was active in Sunday School, choir and the WMS at the Milaca Evangelical Free Church. Eugene passed away on October 27, 1985. In May of 1989, Clarice was united in marriage to Rev. Robert Gillquist. They lived in Cambridge, Minnesota where she made many wonderful friends. She so enjoyed being a helpmate in his interim pastorates. She was an active member at North Isanti Baptist Church. Bob passed away in February of 2004. Clarice moved back to Milaca to Country Meadows in 2006. Because of failing health, she moved to the Elim Home in September, 2009. She loved her friends and staff at the Elim campus. Clarice enjoyed life; she loved crocheting many afghans for family, reading, baking and tending flowers. She will be remembered by her great smile and friendly manner. She will be greatly missed by her daughter, Donna (Del) Pearson; three grandchildren, Bryan (Shelley) Pearson, Matthew (Maria) Aamodt, Robin (Tracy) Matson; six great-grandchildren; four step-children; Sharon (Greg) Miller, Steve (Jane) Gillquist, Peggy (Stan) Miller, Pete (Rhonda) Gillquist, twenty-three step-grandchildren; seven step-great grandchildren; brothers, Emmet and Stanley (Irene) Swanson; sister-in-law, Carol Dunaway; brothers-in-law, Dwight and David (Sonia) Swanson, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Gene and Bob; son, Dale Swanson; daughter-in-law, Lee Swanson, step-son, Phil Gillquist; brother, Julian Swanson; three sisters-in-law, and two brothers-in-law.