Fred Swenson of Montesano died on Thursday, August 1, 2013, when the boat he and his close friends were fishing in overturned off the coast of Baranof Island, Alaska. Fred was born in McCleary, Washington on August 30, 1970, to Henry and Linda Swenson. He graduated from Montesano High School in 1988. He had worked for Washington State Forest Service and for the last 15 years had been employed by Washington State DSHS.
Fred married Kathleen West in 1992 and together they have two sons, Nolan (6), and Kale (4), all of the family home in Montesano. Fred’s family was the light of his life and all who knew him would have voted him “Father of the Year” for his loving devotion to his boys. Family vacations were the most special time for him and Fred was smiling any time his children were having fun. A lover of the outdoors, he was in his element while camping, hunting or fishing and he looked eagerly forward to this fishing trip with his friends.