Vanessa Swanson

Vanessa Rene Swanson, 36, of West Peoria, IL, passed away peacefully at 5:32 pm on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, at her residence surrounded by loved ones.

She was born on March 2, 1985, in West Minister, CA, to Thomas L. Flom and Wendy D. Swanson. Vanessa grew up in California and graduated from Jurupa Valley High School in 2003. She was married in 2005 to the father of her two children, and moved to Illinois in 2011. Vanessa attended Career Gateway College where she studied to become a certified medical assistant. As well as Illinois Central College where she studied nursing. 

Vanessa was a Settlement Officer at The Title Center in Pekin, IL, and formerly a Medical Assistant at Illinois Central College. Vanessa’s most treasured aspect of her life was being a mother. When asked what the best days of her life were, she replied “ the day Chad and Brady were born”. Vanessa had a smile that could light up a room and a laugh that was infectious. Her favorite things were her boys, her family, her friends, the beach and music. She had a way of touching every person she came in contact with, without even knowing she did it. She loved and lived without judgement, with grace and understanding and she sprinkled a little bit of her amazingly beautiful  genuine heart everywhere she went. The Henyan and Vandenraadt families played a big role in guiding Vanessa and helped shape her into the woman she became and she loved them dearly. 

Vanessa is survived by her mother, Wendy of Peoria; father, Thomas Flom of Los Angeles, CA; sons, Chad Rickey, Brady Rickey and their father Josh Rickey all of Altona, IL; godparents, John and Joan Henyan of Big Bear, CA; cousin, Chelsea Quinn of Las Vegas, NV; Childhood friends, Jackie Allbee, Ashley Borges and Brandi Snyder of Jurupa Valley, CA; father figure, Todd Belvedere of Malibu, CA; as well as many other Aunts, Uncles, cousins and extended family members. She was preceded in death by her maternal and paternal grandparents.

Cremation rites have been accorded. A Memorial Service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, September 20, 2021 at Riverside Community Church.  Memorials may be given to a Gofundme account established for her two boys Chad and Brady Rickey at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-vanessa-and-her-babies?qid=ec9aad897dce73269d9b7ec1207b3cc2

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