DiAnn & Gary Svenson Stories

The holidays and the summer fair and festival season are often particularly busy times for live music as pandemic realities currently allow. Gary and DiAnn thoroughly enjoyed the energy and special moments that live music bring. Their service to the Winneshiek County Fair enabled many of their live music experiences.   Among the family mementoes, from these live music magic moments, two are shared today: Ernest Tubb remained a particular lifelong favorite artist of Gary's. Gary appreciated his entertainer persona and stunningly wide vocal range.  Ernest's love of the road and the gift of music was a good match for Gary's natural promotional ability, and he played the Winneshiek County Fair, working with Gary several times. They exchanged Christmas cards for many years. The inscribed photo pictured is believed to be from the late 1960's or early 1970's. It was a sad day for the family when Ernest passed away on DiAnn's 41st birthday.  In 1974, Gary and DiAnn host

During this 400th anniversary of the US Thanksgiving week, in memory of Gary & DiAnn Svenson, please consider visiting your local treasures this holiday weekend.  What haven't you seen yet, or what haven't you been to for some time that you might now see with new eyes? This photo is from the day after Thanksgiving, 2004. While staying with their daughter, Gary & DiAnn visited the Brucemore estate in Cedar Rapids, which is again nominated as one of the best places in the United States to visit for the holidays by USA Today. Gary & DiAnn dedicated deep passion and energy to promoting all things Decorah and taking in the goodness wherever they visited. What are you doing this holiday weekend to more deeply appreciate whatever community you find yourself in?

25 years ago tonight, wonderful tour guide and friend Lori Abrams captured this special moment as Gary and DiAnn entered the West Wing of the White House, recreating their Washington, DC honeymoon 24 years later, with a special access enabled by their daughter Dawn's incredible internship that fall in the White House gift unit. This trip was DiAnn's first time on a plane. For their honeymoon in October 1972, they drove to Washington and even encountered a tour group including Gary's Decorah Community School teachers on the National Mall.  Gary may have clowned around and did his best "Tricky Dick" pose when standing at the White House Press Room podium. For citizens and lovers of history, any time at the White House is humbling and awe-inspiring. Thank you, Lori for capturing this special moment 25 years ago, that was more than 24 years in the making!