Kenneth R. Swedlund (Ken), 68, died at Avera McKennan Hospital on July 20, 2013, as a result of a stroke. He was surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 24. 2013, at Morningside Community Church in Brookings. Visitation is from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery. Ken was born August 3, 1944 in Brookings to Axel and Iva Swedlund. He was the youngest of seven children. As a 12 year old he worked at the Brookings pop bottling company. Ken graduated from Brookings High School in 1962. After graduation, he worked at JC Penneys, Montgomery Ward, S&L, as well as a skilled flooring installer. In 1964 he married Diana Fish, and they had three boys. In 1976, he married Ione Tietjen. In 1981 he started Midstates Flooring in Volga, and then relocated the business to Brookings in 1983. He was joined in the business in 1983 by his brother in law, Lee Tietjen. He was a kind, considerate person who was devoted to his wife, children and grandchildren. Family gatherings were important to Ken with many wonderful memories. He enjoyed his cat, traveling, photography, working in his shop, going to flea markets and gun shows. He recently enhanced his woodworking skills by making frames and decorative yard art. There was nothing he couldn't fix. He often said, "It can't be that difficult," when encountering a project. Ken and Ione took on many building and remodeling projects. They took on the successful challenge of building a home in the Black Hills in 1993. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Ione Swedlund; six children, Shad (Vicki) Swedlund of Brookings, Shane (Sheri) Swedlund of Sioux Falls, Slade (Missy) Swedlund of Hill City, Troy (Lisa) Behlings of Volga, Brenda (Mike) Park of Evergreen CO, and Kristie (Chris) Ching of Bruce; 16 grandchildren; two sisters, Ethel Snyder of Flandreau, Shirley Seefeldt (Milan) of Custer and one brother, Harold (Ardell) Swedlund of Juda WI, sister-in-law Dorothy Swedlund of Arlington, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Ed, Vern and Alice. He was dearly loved and will be missed greatly by his family and friends.