Charleen S. Swanson, age 84, of Canton, Mass., formerly of Newtown, Conn., passed away March 20, surrounded by her loving family. Born and raised in Danbury, Conn., she attended St Joseph’s Elementary School in Danbury and graduated from Danbury High School where she was a cheerleader and a member of the student council and school choir.

She went on to graduate from Western Connecticut State University and earned her Master’s in Education from Fairfield University in 1966. For most of her professional career, she was a teacher in the Bethel, Conn., School System and retired as a seventh grade language arts teacher.

Charleen remained close friends with many of her elementary, high school, and college friends who she would meet monthly for lunch dates. She was an active member of the Newtown-area community where she was a member of the Visiting Nurses Association of Danbury, Danbury Junior League, Newtown Woman’s Club, and a volunteer at the Newtown Thrift Store.

She was an avid golfer and a 50-year member of the Ridgewood Country Club in Danbury where she also served on the board of directors for many years and started a youth golf program with her husband, Bill. Charleen was an avid sports enthusiast, who knew sports facts and trivia better than most men and loved the New York Giants, New York Yankees, and UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams. She also enjoyed playing bridge, reading, and crossword puzzles.

After her husband, Bill, passed in 2016, she frequently stayed at daughter Kirsten’s house in Canton, Mass., before moving up to Brightview Senior Living in Canton, Mass., in 2019 where she was thriving and so happy.

Family was the most important part of her life. She was a devoted wife and mother and loved helping her children with their term papers and school assignments throughout high school, and helped her husband, Bill, earn his master’s degree. She was also a dedicated and proud grandmother and always enjoyed attending Kyle and Carly’s sporting events. She also enjoyed attending the pre- and post-game parties before their high school games and became close friends with many of the other parents. It was tough to lose her, but she will never be forgotten.

Beloved wife of the late William M. Swanson. Loving mother of W. Jon Swanson of Charlestown, Mass., and Kirsten M. Fitzgerald and her husband, Brian, of Canton, Mass. Proud grandmother of Kyle J. and Carly A. Fitzgerald. Sister of Donna Metcalf of Florida. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Due to the current COVID-19 Health Department Directives, private graveside services were scheduled to be held at Canton Corner Cemetery, Canton, Mass., Tuesday, March 24, at noon. A memorial mass to celebrate her wonderful life will be held at a later date in the spring.

Charleen’s family sends a special thank you to the incredible nurses and staff at Brightview Senior Living in Canton for the compassionate care they provided to our family, it will never be forgotten.

For guestbook, see dockrayandthomasfuneralhome.com.