Robert "Robb" Dwayne Swanson

Robert “Robb” Dwayne Swanson, 83, of Traverse City, MI, died on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. He was with his children and in the capable and compassionate care of the Grand Traverse Pavilions.

Robb was born in Chariton, IA on February 21,1943. With a pastor father his family moved during his school years. He credited his mother with easing those transitions by encouraging his interests and pursuits, though his penchant for fast cars less so. It was his youth spent in Manistee, MI which ingrained his deep connection to nature and appreciation for freshwater he maintained all his life. Robb’s love of history and the natural world was evident by the stacks of books which filled shelves, coffee tables and nightstands wherever he lived. In his early professional years his escape from the city was his primitive cabin in Canada with a Sigmond Olsen book and a canoe paddle as his camp essentials.

While studying at the University of Minnesota he met his first wife, Mary Wayne. Robb worked in public relations at Hamms Brewery while road racing and holding his National Competition License. He began his publishing career with The Minnesota Star Tribune as they started a family. Taking opportunities to move up the ladder he accepted posts with The Rapid City Journal and eventually Madison Newspapers with The Capital Times and the Wisconsin State Journal. Yet Robb felt the pull of entrepreneurship and had the grit to start his own magazine, The Exchange, and the associated successful marketing firm he founded with his colleague, friend and eventually his second wife, Mary Jane (Clark) Blunk.

Robb moved back to Michigan with his family as an owner of the Portage Point Inn in Onekama in partnership with his sister, Marilyn and brother-in-law, Stewart, all having shared fond memories working at “PPI” in their youth and brining their own families on vacation there. “Treetops” was their aptly named Michigan home nestled in the woods high on the dune between Lake Michigan and Portage Lake, an ideal place to enjoy the water and nature year-round, never mind four flights of stairs to the front door, in the winter no less. He later found a rewarding career in broadcasting managing radio stations at a time of rapid media transformation. Robb went on to promote and fundraise for Scandinavian American historical projects while living in Chicago. Following divorce, he returned to the familiarity and connections in Minneapolis.

However, at just 62 he experienced a life changing brain aneurism. After a lengthy medical battle he regained speech and mobility. His children moved him to Traverse City and under the collective care of his family and the community, to include Central United Methodist Church and the choir, the Senior Center and the deep friendships he made there, he regained much, but not all of his previous cognition. Robb was a man of many stories; some of a life he wished to have had and others, quite sensational, were remarkably true. But his children will forever maintain that it was the mundane memories of fishing for hours without a nibble or a bite, beach time with the dogs and road trips with CB radios “spotting smokies” that would always have been enough.

His family wishes to thank the Grand Traverse Pavilions and PACE North whose coordinated care allowed him the highest level of independence and dignity in his final years. Robb is survived by his children, Scott (Alicia) Swanson and Gretchen (Doug Burden) Swanson, his sister Marilyn Luckman, his grandchildren, great-grandchild, sister-in-law, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Virgil & Mildred (Palmer) Swanson; his siblings Richard Swanson, Betty Townsend, Paul Swanson and Rick Swanson.

A private family remembrance will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, suggested memorials can be directed to Interlochen Public Radio and WCMU PBS television, two public goods which added greatly to his quality of life and personal ethos of lifelong learning.