Belvidere, IllinoisMichael Phillip Swanson, 54, of Ixtlahuacan De Los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico and formerly of Belvidere, IL died June 15, 2007 in Mexico. Mike was born in Belvidere on May 26, 1953 and graduated from Belvidere High School. He went on to become an Iron Worker for Local 498. His life as he knew it was changed when he was involved in a motorcycle accident on September 29, 1979. He was then in various head injury facilities around the U.S. and finally moved to Mexico in 1990 where he resided. Mike's greatest pride was to have been an iron worker and to have had the nick name "Iron Mike". Mike was a "Fishin Fool", when he was not working he could be found fishing. Mike is survived by his mother, Marianne Swanson of Ft. Atkinson, WI; sisters, Sheila Shaw of Chandler, AZ, Theresa Williams of Pecatonica, IL, Julia (Bevan) Brandt of Pearl City, Marialice Swanson of Pecatonica; brother, Matthew (Melinda) Swanson and several nieces and a nephew. He was predeceased by his father, Rodney Swanson; paternal grandparents, Phil and Erma Viola Swanson and maternal grandmother Alice Spencer Miller who loved Michael more than life itself.

A memorial will be established in Mike's name.