PIERRE, SD – Alan Swanson, 82, of Pierre, SD, died peacefully on Sunday, November 1, 2026 at Avera Maryhouse in Pierre after a ten-month battle with cancer. A visitation will be on Friday, November 6, 2026 from 5:00pm until 7:00pm at Isburg Funeral Chapel in Pierre. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 2:00pm at Messiah New Hope Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD with the family greeting visitors one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Hills of Rest Cemetery in Sioux Falls.
Alan Wayne Swanson, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, was born January 27, 1944, in Des Moines, Iowa to Einer Lyle Swanson and Gladys Iona Swanson. His family moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota when Alan was very young. Alan met the love of his life, Mary Ellen Nordlie, when they were in elementary school. Alan always said it was love at first sight when he saw Mary. They started dating at age 16 while attending Washington High School in Sioux Falls and were together forever after. They both graduated from Washington High School in 1962. The fondest memories they shared from high school centered around their time in marching band where Alan played the coronet and Mary the flute/piccolo.
Alan went on to continue is education at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. There were many trips back and forth between Rapid City and Sioux Falls to see Mary on old Highway 16 until they were married on August 28, 1965. After they were married, Mary moved out to Rapid City while Alan completed his studies at SDSMT. They spent several happy years living at the Price Motel where they helped run the motel for free board. Their first child, David, was born in 1968 during this time. At the suggestion of his academic advisor, Alan applied to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was accepted to their PhD program in material science. They both enjoyed telling the story about arriving in Cambridge, MA pulling their tiny U-Haul trailer and driving right by MIT because it did not look at all what they expected from a big city campus. Before arriving at MIT, they had already procured rent free housing as caretakers at Cedar Hill, a girl scout camp, in the neighboring town of Waltham.
After graduating from MIT in 1972, Alan’s occupations included work as a research scientist at Raytheon and manager of a gallium arsenide semiconductor foundry at Sperry, both in Massachusetts. Lisa was born in 1976 during their time in Massachusetts. After a 4-year period at Gould in the Chicago area, he joined GE Aerospace in Syracuse, NY and became a director in the semiconductor and microelectronic industry, seeing his same team through multiple corporate changeovers and a move from Syracuse to Nashua, NH in 1996. During the management years of his career, he was appreciated as a fair supervisor who advocated for and took great pride in his team. With his retirement from the aerospace industry in 2006, he and Mary returned to their roots in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 2018, they moved to Fort Pierre, SD to be closer to their daughter’s family. Their son, David, also moved to the area shortly after in 2021.
Above all, Alan treasured his family. He adored his wife, Mary, and they could often be found driving around town or having meals together at Drifters, Perkins or their most enduring and favorite restaurant, McDonald’s. He was so proud of his children’s accomplishments from childhood to the present. That pride extended to his grandchildren, and he enjoyed attending their music, dance and sporting events. Alan’s cats, grand dog and grand cats were also a big part of his life, and he so cherished their companionship over the years.
After retirement, Alan enjoyed giving back to his community. He was an active member of Rotary Club in Sioux Falls and Pierre. Alan especially enjoyed his weekly coffee with his Rotary friends. He also went on to establish FIRST Robotics in South Dakota – a legacy that has continued through the present. Alan also had a lifelong appreciation of automobiles. After moving back to Sioux Falls, he acquired his dream retirement job as a product delivery specialist for Luxury Auto Mall in Sioux Falls and later for Beck Motors in Pierre. He so enjoyed the relationships he made with his colleagues and his customers. He was especially tickled when Luxury Auto Mall touted him as their rocket scientist turned car genius. Other hobbies he enjoyed throughout his life included antique collecting (especially Edison phonographs) and woodworking.
Alan’s life was a testament to hard work, curiosity, dedication and love. He will be remembered for his accomplishments, sense of humor, and the lasting impact he made on those who knew him.
Alan is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mary Ellen; his children, Lisa (Chris) Stanley and David (Loura) Swanson; his grandchildren, Christian and Abigail Stanley; his sister Virginia (Paul) Evans, and his many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Einer and Gladys Swanson and his daughter-in-law Amy (David) Swanson.
Coming from a childhood where they “didn’t have two nickels to rub together,” Alan strongly believed that education and hard work are the cornerstones of success in life. He requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in support of the Alan W. and Mary E. Swanson Scholarship Fund. Checks can be sent to South Dakota Mines CARA, 330 E Kansas City Street, Rapid City, SD 57701 with “In memory of Alan Swanson” in the memo line. Donations can also be made online to https://cara.sdsmt.edu/donate. In the designation drop down menu, select ‘Other’, enter the gift amount, select ‘Pay Now’ and a box will open to note the gift is “In memory of Alan Swanson.”
