Board member Mike Barry presented the 2023 Cliff Swanson Memorial
Business Scholarship to Cora Hintz.
The Cliff Swanson Memorial Business Scholarship is awarded to a Lincoln High School graduating senior who is majoring in business, is active in athletic extracurricular activities and demonstrates financial need.
Clifford Swanson was born in 1937, in Thief River Falls. He attended rural school, St. Hilaire Elementary and in 1955, graduated from Lincoln High School, Thief River Falls, where he was active in football and track. Following high school, Cliff worked at Sjulson Hatchery, St. Hilaire. He served in the Minnesota National Guard for several years starting in 1954.
In 1959, Cliff was united in marriage to Shirley Arveson. They made their home in Thief River Falls. In 1959, Cliff started working at Bridgeman Creameries, later worked at JC Penny’s Auto Center and for many years at Sears, all in Thief River Falls. In 1984, Cliff and Shirley bought Purdy’s Shoes in Thief River Falls.
Cliff was very active in the community. He enjoyed fishing, golfing, hunting, bowling, snowmobiling, spending time at the lake with family and grandchildren, wood-working and, best of all, any use for a chain saw and duct tape. Cliff enjoyed traveling with his family and was an explorer and adventurer traveling on road or off.
Cliff passed away in 2007. Shirley and her children, Jan, Lori and Trevor have established the Cliff Swanson Business Memorial Scholarship to honor the memory of Cliff and to help encourage post-secondary education.