Jean (Parker) Swedberg CV (1924 - 1974)

Born 21 Jul 1924 in Scotland, United Kingdom

Died 4 Sep 1974 at age 50 in Merritt, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia, Canada

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Biography

Jean (Parker) Swedberg CV is Notable.

Jean Parker was born on July 21, 1924 in Scotland, United Kingdom.^[1]

Jean died on September 4, 1974 in Merritt, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia, Canada, aged 50. She was buried in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Merritt, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia.^[1]

Married to Stan Swedberg; children Dean, Barrie, Kerri-Doone, Bonnie (Home) & Gayle (Clark).

Recipient of Canada's Cross of Valour

Cross of Valour

Awarded on: May 17, 1976 Invested on: December 02, 1977

Jean Swedberg, C.V., (Posthumous) Cross of Valour

On 4 September 1974, with complete disregard for her own safety, Jean Swedberg, switchboard operator at the Valnicola Hotel in Merritt, British Columbia, left her post to alert the guests during a fire which razed the building and which claimed her own life. The fire began on the ground floor of the frame structure and quickly spread out of control. Racing through the heat and smoke, Mrs. Swedberg spread the alarm to the occupants of the dining room and then proceeded up the stairs to the second storey. By then the smoke had filled the corridor and created havoc amongst the guests. Though fully aware of the holocaust around her, Mrs. Swedberg went from door to door to ensure that everyone had been warned, and it was when reaching the last few rooms that fire shot up the stairwell, completely sealing off all means of escape. Within minutes the hotel was a mass of flames and there was no hope of saving the rescuer. Faced with the most perilous conditions, Mrs. Swedberg displayed the finest example of selfless courage and was instrumental in the rescue of all but one of the guests.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175857987/jean-swedberg: accessed April 26, 2024), memorial page for Jean Parker Swedberg (21 Jul 1924–4 Sep 1974), Find A Grave: Memorial #175857987, citing Pine Ridge Cemetery, Merritt, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia, Canada; Maintained by Grave Gremlin (contributor 50905628).

See also:

• https://www.carnegiehero.org/hero-search/jean-c-swedberg/
• https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/121-57802