Florence Patricia (Hicks) Swanson, 84, passed peacefully at home, to her new home with her heavenly Father, relatives, and friends on February 8, 2024, while surrounded by family. Flo was born in St. Petersburg, Florida to Stanley and Elizabeth Hicks, on October 9, 1939, and was the second child: Barbara, Florence, and Wallace.
While attending the Open Bible Tabernacle Church, she met her first and only love, Joseph Mark Swanson and began a four-year courtship. In 1959, Flo graduated, with honors, from St. Petersburg Senior High School where she excelled in fine arts and homemaking and married the love of her life at Christ Methodist Church on June 29, 1959. They settled in St. Petersburg and began their family of four children. With a growing family, and having bought a business, they decided to move closer to their customers and chose Murfreesboro, TN as a perfect small town in which to raise their family of four: Deborah Lydia Kirk (Bruce), Joseph Mark Swanson Jr. (Terry), Carmel Bethany Tritschler (Thomas), and Adam Joel Swanson (Joanna); all siblings have Biblical names!
In June of 2023, Flo and Joe celebrated their 65th anniversary of marriage. Flo was always supportive of their businesses and helped grow them, along with raising her four children with love and affection as led by their Heavenly Father. Flo always had the family in mind and the family unit continues to be maintained by the many vacations that the family has taken, visiting many countries, and even enjoying nearly 50 river and ocean cruises around the world, often visiting customers as they traveled and exposed their children to the wonders of our planet. Over 50,000 photos, videos and family films are on the internet and tell some of the stories!
Flo and Joe owned several businesses over the years, starting with Swanson Christian Supplies (a Christian product manufacturing business used to train their children the values of diligent work ethics) and Swanson Developments (a real estate and warehousing business) and several others. These businesses have brought thousands of jobs to Middle Tennessee and recognition around the world, since the Swansons moved to Tennessee over 60 years ago. Flo was always at the forefront of the Swanson Family as she entertained in her homes and with her many talents, she taught many crafts to children and customers. Of the family members, all four of the children work and manage the businesses for a total of 12 family members, including grandchildren, presently employed in the family businesses and all are living in Middle Tennessee except those that are attending Universities.
Flo raised her young Family in the Methodist Church, however when her youngest son, Adam became a minister, she attended and supported his ministry, Victory Christian Center for over thirty years, along with supporting many other worthy causes. Flo’s legacy will forever continue through her personal ministry, love of people, and philanthropic efforts.
Flo has been blessed in that all 34 of her immediate family have survived this life on Earth, and all profess to be of the Christian Faith, and will be rejoined with her in Heaven, at some future date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations for distribution of bibles to third world countries may be made to www.getvictory.org/news
Visitation with the family will be Wednesday, February 14, 2024, (Valentine Day and Ash Wednesday) from 11:00-1:00 PM at Woodfin Memorial Chapel in Murfreesboro. Funeral service will begin at 1:00 PM. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Pastor Paul Smith will officiate. www.woodfinchapel.com
