Hazel was born on December 28, 1919, in Dodson, Montana, to Edwin and Mathea Erlandson Olson. She was raised in Canton, South Dakota and graduated from Canton High School. Following her education she moved to Waterloo, Iowa and was married to Ernest Swanson on January 18, 1940. She was a mother of four children, a homemaker and she assisted her husband with operation of a grain and livestock farm near Malcom from 1940 to 1982. The couple lived in Malcom until moving to Grinnell in 2001. Hazel was a long-time member of Grinnell Regional Medical Center's Auxiliary and a poll watcher during elections. She enjoyed painting, gardening and various crafts. Survivors include her husband, Ernest Swanson of Grinnell; one daughter, Judy (James) Eicher of Waterloo, Jim (Dianna) Swanson of Carrollton, Texas, Bob (Denise) Swanson of Des Moines and Richard (Linda) Swanson of Malcom; 17 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; one sister, Wava Bower of Laramie, Wyoming; and one brother, Myron Olson of Denver, Colorado. She was preceded in death by her parents; and one sister, Mildred Lewis. Memorials may be directed to Grinnell Regional Medical Center's Auxiliary.