Sverre “Fred” Svendsen, 91, of Eureka Springs, Ark., passed peacefully at home April 18, 2021, with his family at his side. He was born May 8, 1929, in RÆlingen, Norway, the son of Hagbart and Anne (Stensrud) Svendsen.
Sverre was joined in marriage November 10, 1951, to Inger H. Holm of Lillestrom, Norway. He grew up in Norway, surviving the invasion of the Germans from 1940 to 1945, and entered the Royal Norwegian Navy as a young man.
After his service to his homeland, Sverre made his way to the United States, and married the love of his life, Inger in 1951, who traveled also to the US.
Sverre was drafted into the U.S. Army, in 1952 and served in the Korean War where he became a United States Citizen in Pusong, Korea.
Throughout his life, Sverre was strong both physically and mentally. He was a builder by trade, and a craftsman at heart. Sverre built boats as a young man, and in his adult years, built homes in Connecticut and motels in Arkansas. He enjoyed any body of water and enjoyed fishing, and always stayed busy. Most of all, Sverre loved his wife and family, and they will miss him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two siblings, Sylvia Martin and Roy Svendsen.
Sverre is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Inger Svendsen, and seven children and their spouses: Sverre Svendsen of Eureka Springs, Ark.; Benthe and her husband, J.L. Haney, of Dardanelle, Ark.; Ann Marie Svendsen Slane of Eureka Springs, Ark.; Helene and her wife, DeWana Svendsen of Fayetteville, Ark.; Svend Svendsen of Holiday Island, Ark.; Inger and her husband, Eli Svendsen-Bates of Eureka Springs, Ark.; and Liv Anne and her husband, Svein Ivar Nymoen of Norway.
He is also survived by his grandchildren and their spouses, Matthew and wife, Lisa Marie Haney, William Avnayim, Cyrano Mahurin, Lila Mahurin, Uri Mahurin, Rowyn Bates, and Janne and husband, Ciaron Hammersland Pilbeam; his great-grandchildren: Owen Haney, Abel Haney, Soraya Avnayim, Thomas Pilbeam and Maia Pilbeam; as well as a brother, Kjell Hagbart of Oslo, Norway.
A celebration of life was May 2 at the home of Helene and DeWana Svendsen. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Humane Society, Eureka Springs, Ark. goodshepherd-hs.org/support-us/ or the Local Animal Shelter of your choice. Arrangements and cremation are under the direction of Cremations of the Ozarks.