Violet Lorree Freeman Kirkpatrick Swanson died peacefully in Medford, Oregon on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at the age of 96. Vi's life is a testament to love, adventure and dedication to family. Vi's legacy extends beyond her four children to include 11 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and 7 great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her first husband George Kirkpatrick and her second husband Virgil Swanson. She is survived by her children Sandra (Bill) Lynch, Mike (Cindy) Kirkpatrick, Pat (Brenda) Kirkpatrick, and Karen (John) Griffin.
Vi was born July 17, 1927 in Missouri, to Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Freeman, the only girl in a family of 5 brothers; this fact likely contributed to her strong, competitive spirit and character.
Vi married George Kirkpatrick, November of 1944, in Inglewood, Colorado, and just a few years later in the fall of 1949, with their first two children, Sandra and Michael, they boarded a train and moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon. Here began George's career in management for Safeway grocery stores. Following the birth of their next two children, Pat and Karen, they moved to Crescent City, California where together Vi and George became business owners of their own grocery store, Wayside Market. This later led to co-founding Minute Markets, a still successful chain of convenience stores in the Rogue Valley expanded to thirteen locations and run by several members of the extended Kirkpatrick family.
Vi lived a life that included many diverse interests and a passion for adventure and discovery. Her love for golf, painting, ceramics, and reading illustrate her sharp mind and vibrant spirit, and her travels around the world reflect her curiosity and sense of adventure. Vi devoured literature by Pearl S. Buck, among other authors, and this may have inspired her taste for travel; she had the pleasure of seeing many different countries, including the British Isles, Tahiti, Spain, and Italy, and she and Virgil roamed the United States and Canada together in their motorhome for many years - always making new friends along the way. Together, she and Virgil spent their winters in Yuma, Arizona for nearly 20 years, developing friendships there that she enjoyed throughout her life.
Vi's bold, brave attitude toward life and her generosity to others serve as example to all who knew her, and inspiration to generations to come. She is remembered both for fearless acts such as getting her pilot's license or visiting her grandson in remote Alaska, by boat, at the age of 90, as well as her quiet, generous gifts such as making handmade quilts for every child in her family, as well as may of their friends. Vi volunteered at Rogue Valley Medical Center (now Asante) as a Pink Lady, and she was usually the first to arrive when a grandchild (or great-grandchild) moved into a new home, or had a new baby, and needed something - even a kitchen sink!
Vi's life touched countless hearts, leaving behind cherished memories and a legacy of love and generosity. Her incredible strength, as a woman, mother, and friend, live on in her family, and she will forever be remembered for her enigmatic smile, beauty, and grace.
Services will be held at a later date.