Konnie Jean (Kepner) Swanson

Konnie Jean (Kepner) Swanson passed away at home on May 27, 2025 after a long, six-year journey with pancreatic cancer.

She was born on March 4, 1965 in Morrison, Illinois the daughter of Bonnie and Dave Kepner and was an older sister to Paul Kepner. Konnie attended Walnut High School where she was a cheerleader and track hurdler among many other things growing up. She received her nursing degree from Sauk Valley Community College. Upon graduation, she worked as a nurse in Rockford, Illinois before moving back to Bureau County and working at CGH Medical Center in Sterling, Illinois where she fell in love with the OB department as a Labor and Delivery nurse.

She married Peter Swanson on July 2, 1988 and they were blessed with 3 wonderful children—Nathaniel, Nicole, and Natalie. Konnie and her family are long-time members of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Princeton, Illinois. Konnie was active in small groups, as a Stephen’s Ministry partner, on the prayer commission, taught Sunday School and helped lead youth group among many other areas at church. Her granddaughters—Kennedy (2.5yrs) and Kara (4mo)—were the light of Konnie’s life in the last few years. She loved stocking extra baby clothes, buying books, snuggling, and playing with her girls.

Konnie loved any activity that she got to do with her family including going to her kids’ sporting events, delivering meals for West Bureau Farms in the spring and harvest time, enjoying weekend trips to southwest Wisconsin, fishing up north in Minnesota, and spending time at Covenant Point Bible Camp in Iron River, Michigan. Konnie will be remembered as someone who loved her people fiercely, providing tangible care in any and all the ways that she could.

Survivors include her husband, Peter Swanson of Manlius, three children, Nathaniel Swanson of Princeton, Nicole (Daniel) Hartz of Walnut and Natalie Swanson of Chicago; two granddaughters, Kennedy and Kara Hartz; her father, Dave Kepner of Walnut and one brother, Paul Kepner of Chicago.

She is proceeded in death by her mom, Bonnie Kepner.

Visitation will be held from 4:00pm-7:00pm on Monday, June 2, 2025 in the Fellowship Hall at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Princeton, IL. Funeral Service will be held at 11:00am on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Princeton with Reverend Alex Taylor and Julie Bickett co-officiating. Cremation Rites have been accorded.

Memorials may be made to Konnie Swanson’s family for an educational fund for her grandchildren who were so important to her. A portion of the donations made will also be directed to Buddy Bags.