Margaret Louise Swanson

Margaret Louise Swanson, 105, of Grand Haven, passed away on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at Lakeshore Assisted Living-Simarron. Born on May 11, 1920, in Gaston, Indiana, to the late John and Mary (Woodring) Nickey, Margaret spent her early years on the family farm where she played outdoors with her older brother and sister and younger brother. Raised by a single mother who tended a garden, canned vegetables, and instilled the values of hard work and resourcefulness, Margaret learned early the satisfaction of contributing to her family; the garden’s tomatoes were sold to Heinz Corp. and its corn to Orville Redenbacher for popcorn.

A gifted pianist from a young age, Margaret also nurtured a lifelong passion for writing poetry and drawing. She graduated from Gaston High School and Ball State University, and while volunteering at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana, she met Dr. Roy Swanson. They married on June 19, 1964, and moved to Morgantown, West Virginia, where they shared a short but meaningful life filled with travels along the East Coast and visits to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Roy preceded her in death in October 1970.

Margaret worked for many years as a bookkeeper for the Central Indiana Gas Company, as a secretary in the Department of Psychology at West Virginia University, for the deputy chief medical examiner for the state, and later as a data entry clerk for the Morgantown Police Department. She also volunteered at Monongahela General Hospital in Morgantown. In her leisure time, she found joy in needlework and reading.

Margaret’s stories and legacy live on through her family. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Patricia Nickey; nieces Paula Smith, Renee (Lyle) Rycenga, and Anita (Rick) Wright; nephews Jeff Hunsaker (Diane), Jon (Susan) Nickey, and Bill (Liane) Nickey; cousins Pat Engel and Lynn McClain; and many great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister, Martha (John) Fisher, and brothers John Nickey and Robert (Phyllis) Nickey.