Joan Swanton

Joan Leslie Franson Swanton, 82, quietly went to her maker in the presence of her family
at home in Casper, Wyoming on February 3, 2010 after a chronic illness.
Born
September 25, 1927 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, she was the daughter of Claude and
Elizabeth (Smith) Franson, the third sibling in a family of four girls. Because her father
passed away at an early age, Joan's mother took over the reins of the family and showed
her daughters the nec~ssity of hard work and sacrifice. Joan had a special affinity for the
Storey family of Cheyenne, and a lifelong affection for her cousins Jim and Jack Storey.
She graduated from Cheyenne High School in 1945. In December of that same year she
began a dedicated and long working career with Standard Oil Company of Indiana.
While in Cheyenne, she was active in Beta Sigma Phi and a charter member of both the
Cheyenne and later, Casper Bishop's Guild. Known for her competent secretarial skills,
Joan became the secretary to the Regional Accounting Office Manager in Denver. On
January 1, 1960, she moved to the reopened Standard Oil Company sales office in
Casper.
On June 27, 1964 she married Patrick Swanton of Casper at St. Anthony's Catholic
Church. She retired from Standard Oil in April 1965 when their firstborn, Michael,
appeared on the scene. Later, two more sons, James and Stephen, would be added to the
family.
In addition to assisting her husband in his teaching profession, Joan found time to be Co¬
President of the Southridge Elementary School Parent Teacher Association and PTSA.


She had a lifelong love of the Catholic Church and Our Lady of Fatima parish, of which
she was a longtime member. She was past president of the Council of Catholic Women
and chairman of St. John Bosco Circle numerous times.
Outside of her church involvement, she was very active in bridge, enjoyed working
crossword and jigsaw puzzles, and knowing what was going on in the news. Her primary
concern, however, was her family, and she is survived by her husband, Patrick Swanton
of Casper; three sons, Father Michael Swanton of Omaha, Nebraska, James (Tricia)
Swanton of Billings, Montana, and Stephen Swanton of Las Vegas, Nevada; and two
granddaughters, Kylie and Kennadie Swanton of Billings. Joan was always thinking of
others more than herself, and she will be dearly missed by her friends, who benefited
from her concern and her laughter.
A rosary will be offered Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. at Newcomer Family Funeral
Home, and her son will celebrate her funeral Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic
Church at 2:00 p.m. Monday. Private interment of the cremains will take place Tuesday
afternoon.