Gail Eileen Swant

Gail Eileen Swant passed away peacefully at Sanford Hospice House at on December 8, 2022, with her sister by her side after a yearlong battle with cancer. Gail was born to Harry and Henrietta Swant on June 7, 1942, in Williston, ND. She grew up and attended grade school and high school at Bainville Public School in Bainville, Montana. Her lifelong love of music began with piano lessons from her mother starting at a very early age. She started playing the piano for the Lutheran Church of Bainville when she was in the 5th grade and continued through high school. In 1960 she enrolled at Concordia College. Gail double majored in chemistry and biology and took many music classes. She graduated with honors in 1964 and then took a teaching position in Finley, North Dakota. She taught in Finley for 5 years before accepting a position at Chinook High School in north central Montana. While still at Finley, she began working on her masters in the summers at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Gail received a Master of Science teaching degree several years later and continued teaching science at Chinook for the next 45 years.

She spent most of her summers in her hometown of Bainville. She spent many, many hours mowing the family lawn and any other lawn or lot in town that needed attention. This included the unwelcome frustration of tinkering with and repairing lawnmowers all in the quest of keeping Bainville looking nice. She enjoyed bus trips with her mother and visited many sights on both the east and west coasts. One of her most memorable trips was a four-island tour of Hawaii. Gail was a faithful letter writer regularly sending long letters to family and friends.

In 2014 Gail retired from teaching to move to Fargo, North Dakota to be with her sister as she recovered from health issues. During the winter months, she followed in her mother's footsteps and spent many hours making quilts for Lutheran World Relief out of old clothes and donated material. Her last quilt was made out of short shorts from several decades ago. Some quilt squares ended up with pockets! She was an avid NFL, college football, and high school sports fan. She supported high school sports during her teaching years and became a fan of Fargo-area teams during her retirement.

Gail was fortunate to choose a career that she truly loved. It allowed her to use her musical abilities along with teaching science. She enjoyed interactions with students and colleagues and was more aware of their struggles and challenges than they realized. She was always proud of students who put their education to good use. She was able to use her love of music by being available to accompany groups or soloists at school. Gail would also play the piano for church services, weddings, funerals, or other events. She managed to find room for both a piano and an organ in her small apartment.

Gail was an avid reader enjoying educational-type magazines and a variety of books. She limited her trips to Barnes and Noble because she always ended up with an armload of books. She especially liked the "buy two get one free" table. Gail was a regular supporter of Prairie Public Television.

In her retirement years she became her sister's official dog walker. This gave her not only exercise but the attention of a much-devoted miniature schnauzer, Tillie. Although known for her serious nature, the devotion to Tillie brought out her softer side. Her Fargo friends fondly referred to her as "The Dog Whisperer" because she would sneak treats as often as she could to all the little dogs who adored her.

Gail is survived by a brother David (Meg) in Blue Springs, MO, a sister Linda in Fargo, ND, and two nieces Vickie and Lynne. She is preceded in death by her parents. She has requested there be no service and burial will be at a later date in the Bainville, Montana cemetery.

Memorials are preferred to Sanford Hospice House or a charity of your choice.