Helen "Ann" SvensonVero Beach, FLAnn Svenson passed away peacefully on December 7, 2016. She was born on August 12, 1928, the fourth of seven children of Vincent and Blanche K. Byerlein in Saginaw, Michigan. She is survived by her husband Col. O Ivar Svenson, Jr. USMC-Ret., her daughter Carla (Steve) Keane; granddaughters Jennifer (Frank) LeGrand, Sarah (Brandon) Balke, four great grandchildren, her brothers John (Myrenna) Byerlein, Donald (Phyllis) Byerlein, her sister Katherine (John) Browne and 28 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother Patrick (Julienne) Byerlein ; sisters Irene "By" (John) Fauver and Mary Elizabeth "Dibby" (John) Rodgers.The Byerlein family moved from Saginaw to Detroit, Michigan during the great depression. Ann graduated from Little Flower High School in 1946. She then followed her mother, who had served with distinction as a US Army Nurse in France during the First World War, in a career of nursing. Ann graduated as a Registered Nurse from The Providence School of Nursing at Providence Hospital in Detroit and began her career at hospitals in Detroit and Los Angeles. She then came home to Detroit to work for doctors in private practice for several years before returning to Los Angeles County Hospital for the more demanding and satisfying duties as Head Nurse of the intensive care unit.In 1966 she was recruited by the US State Department along with other nurses and doctors to go to Vietnam during the war, to help raise their medical standards and capabilities. Prior to embarkation she attended the University of Hawaii to learn to speak Vietnamese and the culture and customs of the people. She served as advisor to the Head Nurse of the Vietnam Regional Hospital in Danang and as the Head Nurse of the intensive care unit. During rest and recuperation (R&R) periods she was able to travel extensively throughout Southeast Asia to places such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Among the many things she collected was her devoted husband of 47 years, who is eternally grateful she chose him from the 83,000 Marines available. After returning to the US, Ann continued her nursing career at D.C. General Hospital, then as head of the Red Cross Volunteer Nurses during an accompanied tour of duty at the US Naval Base Subic Bay, Republic of The Philippines. Her career as an active duty Marine wife ended at Camp Pendleton, California where she served as President of the Officer's Wives Club and again as a Red Cross Nurse in the Dispensary of the refugee camp that processed 55,000 Vietnam refugees from the fall of South Vietnam in 1975.After her husband retired from the Marine Corp on September 1, 1975, she returned to Beverly Hills, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit and continued nursing at Beaumont Hospital. In 1978 they moved to Roswell, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, where she again continued hospital nursing and was active in the family photo and video business for the next 18 years. When finally retiring from business, Ann and Ivar cruised in their motor yacht from Lake Huron through the lakes and rivers to Punta Gorda, Florida where they enjoyed their retirement for the next 15 years.When Ann was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in April of 2007, they moved to the Lakes at Pointe West Retirement Community in Vero Beach to be near her sister Irene "By" Fauver and nephew Patrick (Carol) Rodgers and their families.Ann was a remarkable woman, devoted to her family, especially her daughter and her 28 nieces and nephews, who called her "The Fun Aunt". She was beautiful, friendly, intelligent and adventurous, with a brilliant smile that lit up the room. She had a fine singing voice, was a voracious reader and was very talented in knitting and needlepoint. She was active in conservative politics and during the 1950's she drew headlines, in Detroit for her efforts to fight the American Communist Party. A natural leader, she was frequently elected to head the volunteer and civic organizations in which she participated.In lieu of flowers, contributions as a memorial may be made in Ann's memory to Saint John of The Cross Catholic Church, 7950 26th Street Vero Beach, Fl 32966-1610.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00am, Saturday, January 14, 2017 at St. John of The Cross Catholic Church.Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.Arrangements are under the direction of Strunk Funeral Home, Vero Beach.An online guestbook is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com