Pedigree chart Nils Gustaf Axelson

1925-1999

Born Apr 29, 1925 in Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA Died Aug 14, 1999 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA

Biography

Born Apr 29, 1925 in Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA
Died Aug 14, 1999 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA
Nils G. Axelson, 74, whose career with Swedish Covenant Hospital and Covenant Ministries of Benevolence spanned four decades, died Wednesday in the hospital after a brief illness.Mr. Axelson was hired in 1952, at age 27, to run the hospital, just one year after he received his master's degree in hospital administration from Northwestern University's School of Management."He became the youngest hospital administrator in Chicago at the time," said his wife, Lois.Mr. Axelson was born to Swedish immigrants, his wife said. After serving in the Navy, he attended Upsala College in New Jersey and received a bachelor's degree.Mr. Axelson and Lois were married in 1952. They moved to Chicago and lived across the street from the hospital for 19 years, she said."We went on our honeymoon, and then we moved in right across the street," his wife said.When Mr. Axelson began his career, Swedish Covenant was the only hospital owned by the Covenant Ministries of Benevolence. Upon his death, the ministries had grown to include more than 20 institutions, including retirement centers, hospitals and long-term care facilities.When Mr. Axelson began at Swedish Covenant, he also was appointed chief executive officer of the ministries. He stopped working as administrator in 1962 but remained as CEO until his retirement in 1992."My husband was a wonderful Christian man, and he considered everyone else before himself," said his wife.Since the 1970s, Mr. Axelson and his wife had lived in Northbrook.Other survivors include a daughter, Carola Walls; a brother, Bertil; and three grandchildren. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday at Hanekamp Funeral Home, 385 Waukegan Rd., Northbrook. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in Northbrook Evangelical Covenant Church, Techny and Pfingsten Roads, Northbrook.

Relationships and children

Married Jun 21, 1952 in Kiron, Crawford, Iowa, USA Wanda Lois Rosenquist. Born Dec 28, 1925 in Odebolt, Sac, Iowa, USA Died Jun 9, 2013 in Northbrook, Cook, Illinois, USA

Life track