James Swenning

James Henry “Jim” Swenning was born Nov. 21, 1939 in Brookings, S.D., the third child of Henry and Hazel Swenning. He loved being around his large extended family as a child, playing with his siblings in the bitter cold winters and hot summers of eastern South Dakota. After his mother passed away when he was 14, Jim left school to help with his three younger siblings. He returned to school, earning his high school diploma from South Dakota State College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts (present day South Dakota State University).

On June 8, 1958, he married Janet G. Ward, who grew up in western South Dakota. Jim worked in law enforcement in South Dakota, even campaigning for Sheriff of Brookings County. On Dec. 11, 1963, the couple welcomed the first of their three sons, Joel James Swenning. Five years later, the young family would head west for new ventures, settling in the Renton Highlands.

Jim would continue to work in law enforcement, serving as a Deputy in the King County Sheriff’s Department, and the Swenning family grew again with the birth of Jayson Jon Swenning on May 15, 1971. Shortly after, Jim was injured by a drunk driver while helping a disabled motorist. It was one of several medical challenges he would face – and overcome – with bulldog tenacity and no self-pity.

A third son, Jerrel Allen Swenning, joined the family Jan. 19, 1974, as Jim pursued another love – flying helicopters. He eventually took to the Seattle sky flying the KIRO Copter for Channel 7 news and KIRO News Radio. Eventually, that led to 5 J’s Aviation on Boeing Field. A company giving helicopter tours of Seattle was just getting started when Jim suffered a near-fatal fall from a ladder on Pier 56 and spent several months at Harborview Medical Center.

Again, Jim battled back, and would join the Renton School District as a security guard, eventually climbing to head of the department. He remained a popular figure in the district until he retired in the early 2000s.

In spring 2004, Jan passed suddenly. Jim would lean on the support of sons, who remained in Renton or within driving distance, and his canine buddies – a 7-pound shih tzu-poodle named Tuffy, who tried his best to live up to his name, and Dakota, a yellow Lab who came from South Dakota.

Love found Jim again in the late 2000s, leading to his marriage to Kathleen Lee “Kathie” Rogers on June 21, 2012. He also became the father to two more sons, Christopher John “CJ” Koenig and Douglas James Koenig.

In 2016, Jim was diagnosed with prostate cancer and given a treatment that was supposed to stave off the disease for two years. Like always, he KO’d the diagnosis.

An avid woodworker, Jim built his own shop in the backyard of the family’s home. Grampa Jim’s Woodshop would churn our heartfelt crafts for family and friends until Kathie and Jim moved to The Lakeshore retirement community in late 2021.

Kathie and Jim spent their time traveling, a trip to Alaska and Montana most notable, cheering on Seattle’s sports teams, the Washington State Cougars and South Dakota State Jackrabbits, and loving on their blended family.

Jim was a loving grandfather to Presley, Doug’s daughter; Danielle, Jerrel’s stepdaughter; Oliver, Joel’s stepson, and Ashlee, McKenna and Noah, the children of close family friends Scott and Lori Rath of Kent.

On the night of June 23, 2025, with his wife by his side and sons nearby, Jim passed away after a short stay in hospice.

He will forever be remembered for his ability to tell a joke (both good and bad) in any setting, outgoing personality, devotion to family and friends, love of flying and woodworking and his smile.