Jean Melba Christensen was born on December 4, 1924 to Ralph and Melba Christensen of St. Paul, Minnesota. She had one older brother, Robert, at that time but other sisters and brothers followed: Evelyn, Colleen, Dan, Marion, and Greg. Her family lived in the St. Paul area throughout her childhood and she graduated from Washington High School.
The Christensen children were sent to Sunday School at a Lutheran church, although their parents did not attend. When Jean was in her teens, she and her sisters were invited to Temple Baptist Church where they heard the Good News of salvation by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The girls received Christ as Savior and eagerly told their mother about their decisions. Jean's mother remembered that she, too, had made this decision when she was a young girl and began accompanying her daughters to church. In time, after initial resistance, their father also heard the gospel and received Christ as Savior.
In the youth group at Temple Baptist Church, Jean met Jack Swinborne and by the time World War II began, their interest in each other was growing. They corresponded by letter while Jack served in a Navy chaplain's office overseas. It was also during WWII that Jean's family lost their beloved son and brother, Bob. After the war ended, Jack and Jean became engaged and then were married on August 31, 1946 when they were 22 years old.
The couple began attending Northwestern Bible College. Jack finished the four-year course but Jean was only able to complete the first year because their family had begun to grow. Their oldest daughter, Janet, was born the next year, followed by sons Jeffrey and Joel over the next few years.
Jack and Jean surrendered to the Lord's call to the mission field and joined the Conservative Baptist Foreign Missionary Society (CBFMS) to serve in the Belgian Congo in central Africa. After spending a period of time in Belgium learning the French language, they sailed for Congo. They were involved in church-planting, construction projects (since Jack was an accomplished builder), and supervision at a school for African/Belgian children. During that first four-year term of service in Africa, Jack and Jean's third son, John Jr. was born. They returned to the U.S. for furlough, where their youngest daughter, Juleen, was born.
When the family returned to the Belgian Congo in late 1959, general unrest was increasing due to the desire of the Congolese people for independence from their European colonial governments. Over the next year and a half the violence grew, leading to several temporary exits from the country for safety, followed each time by return. Finally, in the spring of 1961 and with their lives at risk, the Swinbornes left for the last time with other missionary families. After a brief time in the U.S., they were re-assigned to Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to begin ministry there.
Jack and Jean spent the next 27 years in Cote d'Ivoire, serving both Ivoirian nationals and fellow missionaries in many ways. While Jack pastored village churches, discipled believers, and worked on countless building projects, Jean also kept busy as secretary for the mission hospital doctors and as station hostess. They also spent one term caring for missionary children at the mission's boarding school as dormitory "house parents".
In 1988, Jack and Jean retired after 36 years with CBFMS and returned to the St. Paul area to live. Their later years were filled with family, fellowship and service in their local church for as long as they were able. After a prolonged battle with Alzheimer's disease, Jack entered the presence of His Savior in 2004.
Having known a lifetime of sharing everything with her "honey", Jean struggled with the loneliness. Spending time with her children and their families was her chief joy. In 2016, Jean's declining health required a move into the Woodbury Senior Care Center. On July 11, 2017 Jean stepped into the presence of Jesus as her children were gathered around her. She leaves a priceless legacy of daily time in God's Word and faithful prayer for her loved ones, who now number 50 in number.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2017, at 11:00 AM at LAKE PHALEN COMMUNITY CHURCH, 1717 English St., Maplewood, MN. Visitation will be from 9-11 AM. Interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery.