– Obituary courtesy of Zentner-Beal Funeral Home

Axel R. Swanson, age 90, of New Glarus, WI passed away on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. He was born on August 8, 1935 in Chicago, IL the son of Axel H. and Andrea L. (Carlson) Swanson. Axel graduated from Lane Tech High School in 1954, and then entered into the United States Army Signal Corps, serving in Germany. On December 31, 1955, Axel married the love of his life, Arlene A. Sinner, in Chicago. Following Axel’s discharge from the Army in 1957, he and Arlene returned to Chicago where Axel began working and continuing his education at the Illinois Institute of Technology, graduating in 1967 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Axel worked as an engineer for Signode, Paslode, MN Honeywell, and Videojet while living in Elk Grove Village, IL where he and Arlene raised their family. Axel and his fellow engineer friends built and flew a fixed wing hang glider. In 1999, after retiring, Axel and Arlene moved to New Glarus, where they had spent time biking on the Sugar River Trail. In New Glarus, they were part of the Friends of the New Glarus Library and involved in the Light the Night walks. With Arlene, Axel enjoyed walking in New Glarus and traveling the world. Axel made friends feel like family.