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Phillip Rico Swensson was born on July 8, 1924, in Maple Plain, Minnesota, to Minnie Elvira Teresia Hamburg, age 39, and Gustav Sigfrid Swensson, age 55. His father was a Swedish Lutheran Pastor. Phill is the youngest of six children: Paul, Martha, Evangeline, Carl, and Luther.

Phill lived in Mitchell, SD as a child and spent his teen years in Detroit, MI. He registered for the military, choosing the Navy, December 12, 1942. He was sent to Great Lakes Naval Base where he studied to become a Pharmacist Mate. Phill met Alice Margret Czaikowski on the shore of Lake Michigan. Their courtship included trips to Chicago to dance to the big bands. They were married November 18, 1944.

His navy service sent him to Pacific Ocean aboard a hospital ship named the USS Consolation.  He was underway to Okinawa when WW2 ended. The ship's mission was changed, to deliver injured and prisoner Japanese and pick up injured and prisoner American soldiers. During downtime aboard ship, he was recruited as the featherweight boxer for the ship, having learned to box during High School in Detroit.

Phill attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill, where he played football there for 1 season, until he injured his elbow. Gregory was born during his college years on November 7, 1947. Phill graduated with a degree in Business. Phill's dad died January 13, 1948.

After college Phill's little family moved to Minnetonka MN, (Glen Lake area) near the home of Phill's brother, Paul. They lived in a small apartment on Excelsior Boulevard. Phill worked at Sears Roebuck on Lake Street in Minneapolis in retail, rotating through many store departments before winding up in the nursery selling trees and landscaping.

This is when Phill decided to start his own landscaping business named "Glendale Nursery." After Eric was born August 30, 1952, Phill bought his first house on Mayview Road. The property had additional space to plant small trees for his business. Mary Alice was born April 15, 1956. In 1959 the family moved to Baker Road where Phill planted livestock in the large front yard. His labor was very hard, living season to season. He exited the nursery business after ten years.

This is when something fabulous happened.

Phill's new job took him across the state creating yellow pages ads for small town directories. Listening to a preacher on the radio one day, he pulled the car over and gave his life to Jesus. Back at home he took Alice aside. They prayed together kneeling at the living room sofa. Alice said she was waiting and praying for this to happen. God is good.

Immediately after being born again Phill sought to fellowship with Christians with strong faith, starting with his mother and siblings. He found others through church and met teenage believers. Doors opened as a Monday night Bible Study started in his living room led by a woman from his Lutheran church. After three weeks she handed the reins to Phill. Would he succeed? Yes! The Monday night Bible study would continue into the mid-seventies with a wide variety of teens from the Hopkins/Minnetonka area and beyond. Each session included music with piano and guitars and a Bible study/chalk-talk by Phill.

The Bible study kids became "The Swenssonites" performing music, skits and testimony in several churches in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. Phill loved involving kids in outreach of the Gospel encouraging them to publicly share their faith. Other outreach included a gospel team called the "New Mind" that had a pianist, drummer, and bass.

Each Labor Day weekend Phill and Alice hosted teens and families at Arrowhead Music Camp (Hanging Horn Village) outside of Barnum. The focus of camp was recommitment to Christ and spiritual growth. There were many fun activities with music, sports, sermons, skits, and a large campfire on Sunday night. Many folks considered it a mountain top experience.

Phill's brother Luther knew of the calling Phill was feeling to become a minister like their father.  When Luther had a terrible accident and died in surgery, Phill had been willed the means that allowed him quit work and enroll in seminary in the late sixties. Phill studied at King Of Glory Seminary in Hopkins for two years.

At his mother's insistence, he entered seminary at Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1970. He was ordained in 1973 at Gustavus Adolphus College attended by his mother and remaining siblings. It was also attended by many Monday night Bible study kids (now adults), and church friends from Minnetonka and Mahtowa and Isle, his first internship calls. Phill's Mother died December 9th, 1974, meaning she saw Phill become a Lutheran pastor. His first call was to a three-point parish in Mahtowa, Atkinson, and Oak Lake, a place he already knew.

Whatever subject Phill pursued, he was all in, laser focused, fully dedicated. From boxing, football, swing music and dancing, Alice, self-employment, his education and sharing Jesus, he always was fully invested.

Each Sunday Phill put on his pastor attire and lead services at three locations. Congregations grew as building expansions added accessibly and larger fellowship areas. Phill had strong prayer partners and church members who kept the ministry solid. There was a feeling of a faithful church family.

As you can guess, Phill soon enlisted local teens to become the "Come Together Kids" who traveled Norther Minnesota entertaining with drummer, bass, and horns. Thanks to local high school band teacher, Phill finally had a big band sound. Phill always wanted to have youth perform and spread the message of Jesus Christ.

After 20 years of ministry in Mahtowa Phill formally retired from the ministry in 1993, but not really.  He then started interim pastoral work at many congregations including Holy Cross of Duluth, Our Savior's of Cloquet, Holden, McGrath, Brookston, Culver, and an extended call at   Bethlehem Lutheran church in Askov for 10 years.

In the early 2000s Alice got Alzheimer's. Phill cared for her at home for a long time before she needed memory care. She died on April 10, 2014. She was the love of his life.

After his "2nd retirement" he became the visitation pastor at Barnum Community Church, visiting folks in hospitals and care centers, filling the pulpit for vacations, and leading the adult Sunday school class. He also led community Bible studies at memory care facilities and Barnum Apartments.  He continued ministry duties, living alone in Barnum, until after he entered assisted living at age 99.

Because of his father's work on the island of Puerto Rico in the early 1900's, establishing the Lutheran faith on the island, Phill had 2 unique experiences to travel to his father's initial church.  At the Evangelical Lutheran Church San Pablo, he shared at their 75th and 115th anniversaries. Gustav loved the people of Puerto Rico so much he chose Rico for Phillip's middle name when he was born.

Phill always had a deep love for music.  He asked people far and wide to share their talents and testimonies at church, encouraged youth by attending local music performances, and was always looking for concerts to attend with family or friends.  He especially loved Glenn Miller, Lawrence Welk, and Lorie Line, attending Lorie Line concerts nearly every Christmas for over 3 decades.

Phill had a God-given ability to connect with people across all ages and denominations.  From his Young At Hearts Senior's Ministry, to Sunday Church Drive-Ins, participating in the Carlton County clergy group, singing in his barbershop quartet, being a long time Barnum Bombers sport supporter, hosting church sports banquets, and participating in several Barnum High School baccalaureates; he was engaged with people everywhere.

He tied many "knots", performed many baptisms, went to numerous hospital rooms, was asked to many family meetings, and officiated at many funerals over his more than 50 years in ministry.  He continued to receive calls from 2nd and 3rd family generations asking him to participate at their important family events.  He always considered it an honor to be asked and to still be considered their pastor.

Everywhere he went, and with increased boldness as he aged, Phill shared the gospel.  Whether at a restaurant, a community event, or a medical appointment he engaged people in conversation, inquired about their faith upbringing, and no matter where the story led, he would end with singing them his favorite song, Jesus Loves Me.  He is forever thankful to everyone who blessed his life and ministry.

Phillip died on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at Moose Lake Village.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Minnie and Gustav.  Siblings: Paul, Martha, Evangeline, Carl, and Luther, his beloved wife of 69 years, Alice, and grandson: Jeffery Bruce.

Phillip is survived by his 3 Children: Gregg (Cheri) Swensson, Eric (Deb) Swensson, and Mary Alice (Steve) Carlson. 5 Grandchildren: Kris (Annie) Swensson, Chuck (Diana) Swensson, Allicen (Russell) Waxlax, Andrea (Ben) Swensson-Clark, and Anna (Mark) Graves. 10 Great-grandchildren: Phoenix, Samantha, Rion, Vanessa, Allice, Alex, Jonas, Liam, Aili, and Channing. Special niece Kay (Dennis) Cerkvenik, and more nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Visitation will be from 4-7 PM on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 in Hamlin-Hansen-Kosloski Funeral Home, Moose Lake.  A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 11 am in Salem Lutheran Church, Mahtowa with a visitation one hour prior to the service.  Burial will be held in Mount Salem Lutheran Cemetery, Mahtowa.

Memorials are preferred and will be used to help families attend area Bible Camps.

Arrangements by Hamlin-Hansen-Kosloski Funeral Home, Moose Lake.