Anne Elizabeth Swanson

Anne Elizabeth (Fox) Swanson was born on September 7, 1950, to Lawrence Albert (Jim) Fox and Mary Joan (Rooney) Fox. She was born, raised, and died – lived her entire life - in Racine, Wisconsin. She attended Sacred Heart Grade School and graduated from Horlick High School in 1968. She received a B.S. in Education from UW-Whitewater in 1972 and a M.S. in Education from Whitewater in 1979.

Anne was employed by Racine Unified School District starting as a teacher in 1972, fresh out of college. She served in numerous roles as both a teacher and as an administration before attempting retirement in 2011. She returned soon after, and continued mentoring and subbing for principals until 2022, when after 50 years, she finally said enough and retired (for the most part)! By the time she retired she had worked at Winslow (now closed), Hansche (closed), Olympia Brown, Mitchell Jr High (as a teacher then principal), Starbuck Middle (principal), Janes, Winslow again, her last year in the classroom, and then as a principal at: Red Apple, West Ridge, Goodland, Giese (now closed), Wadewitz, and finally acted as a support principal at Fratt, Roosevelt, and Schulte. All in all, she spent some time at a majority of the schools in the district over her half-century.

Anne was a part of many other communities here in Racine. A lifelong and faithful parishioner of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, she also had an *almost* pagan love for the sun and for employing the parts of the vocabulary not allowed in family newspapers. She delighted in celebrating the Summer and Winter Solstice, treasured sunny days, and often said she wished she could live in a swimming pool. She loved the Lake just as much and was a member of the Racine Yacht Club. Anne belonged to both professional educators’ unions, the Racine Education Association and the Racine Administrators Association, and was involved with local labor, politics, and social justice throughout her life, and was one of the “Racine 11” arrested during the infamous 1977 teacher’s strike.

Anne was married to Charles Swanson on October 25, 1985. He preceded her in death in November 2017. She is survived by her only son, Charles Joseph Swanson and his husband, Travis Eales; and her three stepchildren, Tesfaye, Tonya (Allen), and Tamara Swanson. She is also survived by her siblings, Joseph (Sandi) Fox, Kenneth (Susan) Fox, and Jane (Slim) McGinn; her sister-in-law Linda Fox; as well as her niece, Abby Fox, nephews Sean (Grace) Fox, Joe (Ana) and Sam Exline, her step-nephew Micah, step-niece Akita, great-nephew, Landon, and great-niece, Piper. Along with her husband, Charles, Anne was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Mary Power; and her brother, Michael Fox.

Friends and relatives are invited to attend a Memorial Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2201 Northwestern Ave Monday, March 31, 2025, 11 am with Rev. Juan Camacho officiating. Friends and relatives are invited to meet with the family prior to the Mass 9:30 – 10:45 am.

The service will be live streamed and may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/live/H2N1RUl-QP4?si=BfJYTInu49KOCekm

In lieu of flowers memorials to your local school or a Bilingual Education Program have been suggested.