Remembering Fred Swedberg

Fred Swedberg lost his battle with cancer on January 5, 2021. I had the pleasure of playing music with him at several of our local jams. He was an accomplished singer, story teller and grower of heirloom tomatoes. Condolences to his family and friends.

Remembering Fred Swedberg

The Last Time I Saw Fred

In August of 2020 I attended a graduation party music jam in Gardner, MA. It was held outside with strict rules about masks and social distancing. Fred was there telling stories and singing songs. You could tell he was smiling in spite of the mask. He was a warm and friendly guy, a talented singer and musician and as I had learned an expert tomato grower.



In December he was given a diagnosis of kidney cancer which spread to his lungs. On January 5th 2021 he lost the battle. I was shocked to hear how quickly this all took place. His wife posted this on Facebook:
Fred Swedberg
Fred joked that his shirt was made from the kitchen tablecloth

The House Fire and Heirloom Tomatoes - August 2019

Fred and his wife Wibby had their share of troubles prior to his illness. In August of 2019 they lost their house and greenhouse in a fire. They owned a small cottage on Queens Lake in Phillipston, MA and took up residence there as their home was being rebuilt. Wibby makes mention of the construction in her posting. The home will be complete in 2021.

I attended a fund raiser jam at the cottage where I learned about the Heirloom Tomatoes. It was late August and ripe tomatoes were everywhere. They were carefully labeled. There were also cups of collected seeds for the next harvest. It was most impressive.

HeirloomTomatoes grown by Fred Swedberg
Heirloom Tomatoes grown by Fred Swedberg
Tomato Seeds
Heirloom Tomato seeds
Music Jam
Music Jam at a fundraiser for Fred and Wibby at their lakeside cottage.

Meeting House Stage - March 2014

I'll complete my posting with a few clips of Fred and Wibby performing at the Meeting House stage in Rindge, NH. Fred would always dedicate  "Roseville Fair" to his wife Libby and they performed it flawlessly. He was a fine man who was loved and will be missed.

https://youtu.be/WrvS5kNFGpEhttps://youtu.be/by-PBXLukkQ