Obituaries

Betty Free-Swanberg, age 83,  passed away peacefully on October 11, 2023, at the Park Plaza Senior Living Home in Orange, CA, where she had resided for the last four years. She was preceded in death by her parents, Einar and Helen Free, and her husband, David Swanberg. Betty is survived by her cousins, John Ross; Betsy (Alan) Phillips and their sons David and Matthew; her niece Christine (Mark) Wilkie and their children; Karl-Lennart Johansson of Sweden; and many children and grandchildren of cousins in Sweden.

Betty graduated from Wheaton College and took graduate courses in education at National-Louis University. She spent her entire career ministering to children and serving the Lord in Christian publishing. At Country Evangelical Covenant Church in Campton Hills, Betty directed the children’s choir and taught Sunday school. She began her professional career as a secretary at Church of the Brethren in Elgin and then worked for 25 years at David C. Cook Publishing in Elgin, IL, starting out as a proofreader and then becoming the editor of preschool and elementary Sunday school curriculum. When the company relocated to Colorado in 1995, Betty became the senior editor for children’s books at Tyndale House Publishers in Carol Stream, IL, and worked there until her retirement in 2006.

At Tyndale, Betty met and worked with many authors. One of the highlights of her career was assisting George Beverly Shea and Jeffrey McKenzie to write Shea’s book, How Sweet the Sound, which includes lyrics, memories, and stories about Shea’s songs. Betty also wrote Quiet Moments for Caregivers, a devotional that shares the prayers, thoughts, and feelings she had during the many years that she took care of her elderly parents. And she wrote “Day by Day,” which has a daily conversation that parents can share with preschoolers to teach them about God’s love.

In 2002, Betty married Dave Swanberg, a childhood friend, and moved to California where she became a deacon at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Santa Ana and served her community in many ways, including visiting  residents of nursing homes and sharing God’s love with them by singing there each week.

Betty will also be missed by her many friends and coworkers in Illinois and California, including Tim Bergman, Maralee Parker, Linda Washington, and Linda Willet of Illinois; and Joyce Fell and Nancy Amo of California, who supervised her care. Betty was an inspiration to the employees she supervised at David C. Cook, who knew that she prayed for them and their families each day. Betty demonstrated excellence in everything she did, and the employees she supervised used to smile whenever she edited their edits with lots of red notes but also some positive reinforcement. 

The family wishes to thank her caregivers at Park Plaza, Precious and Ellie, for the loving care they provided during the last few years of Betty’s life.

Funeral Services will be 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, October 24, 2023, Yurs Funeral Home 405 E. Main Street, St. Charles, IL, 60174.  A graveside service will be held at Whitney Cemetery, 40 Burlington Road, Campton Hills, IL, where Betty will be buried beside her parents and her husband.  

Donations can be made in Betty’s name to the Disabilities Ministry at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Santa Ana, CA.

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