Obituary of Tonette 'Toni' Swiggum

Swiggum, Tonette "Toni" of Prior Lake, MN. Born February 18, 1939 in St. Cloud, MN. Peacefully passed away at home surrounded by family March 14, 2019. Survived by husband of 58 years Robert; children Lisa (Bruce) Finkel, Pam (Steve) May, Jay (Chris) Swiggum, Nikki (Marty) Cloutier, Mark Swiggum; 12 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; brother Jim (Jeanee) Colletti; sister-in-law Mary Sullivan; 3 nieces. Celebration service Thursday March 21 at 3:00 with visitation 1/2 hour prior with reception to follow at Cremation Society of MN, 7110 France Ave, Edina, MN (952)924-4100. Memorials preferred to Minnesota Alzheimer's Association. Private interment.

Tonette Rose Swiggum was born Feb 18, 1939 in St. Cloud, MN to Myrtle and Ed Colletti. Her mother Mrytle was an artist and homemaker, and her father Ed (an Italian immigrant), was a teacher, coach and Athletic Director at St Cloud State University. She grew up alongside her brother Jim who later became a teacher, coach and Athletic Director at Irondale High School. Tonette, also known as “Toni”, and her brother Jim were raised in a loving and athletic home.

Toni started working by teaching young children dance lessons during her middle school years. After graduating from St. Cloud Tech High School and wanting to pursue a dance major, Toni spent her freshman year at Butler University (which was one of the few universities that offered a specialized dance and music program) before returning to her hometown and transferring to St. Cloud State University. During her college years in the summer, she would swim with the Aqua Follies synchronized swim group at the Minneapolis and Seattle Aquatennial festivities.

Upon graduating from college with a physical education major, Toni married her high school sweetheart, Bob Swiggum, who has served as her loving and devoted husband for 58 years. The total number of years they’ve been together as a couple was 64 years. Following their wedding, Toni began teaching in the Richfield School system before starting a family.

Toni’s love for animals, especially horses, shined through as she and her family showed Arabian and Half-Arabian horses and participated in numerous horse shows through the Midwest, US and Canada, winning state, regional and national championships.

While taking care of her family and horses, she also became Director and Choreographer of the St. Louis Park Parkettes -- a high school dance line which was also known as and served as the MN Vikings Cheerleaders for 14 years, and was recently inducted into the MN Viking new Honor of Fame.

Continuing with her gift and love for ‘teaching’, Toni became a certified Professional Ice Skating Instructor at Braemar Arena in Edina for 30 years. Throughout the years, in addition to the private lessons, she served as the

Director of the Annual Braemar Ice Show and also Head Coach of the Braemarettes (later known as Team Braemar), a precision ice skating line comprised of high school aged girls which went on to win numerous regional and national honors and would then represent the US in international competitions. In her later years, Toni’s daughter Pam moved from assistant Coach to Head Coach and Toni became her assistant.

Over 7 years ago on her birthday, Tonette was diagnosed with dementia and early stages of Alzheimer’s. With the love and support and good fortune that the disease was fairly gradual, it allowed Bob to care for her in their home up until her final day. Toni has influenced and impacted so many lives, making those left behind grateful for having known her.