Melvin Herbert Schwartz lived 87 years,1053 months, 32,065 days, 769,560 hours between May 24th, 1936, and March 8th, 2024.
Born to Herbert and Elnora Schwartz in Pretty Prairie Kansas along with his brothers, Richard (Eleanor), and Donald. They were a strong German family that loved to farm the beautiful golden fields of wheat and tend carefully to their livestock.
Melvin attended K-State and graduated in 1958 with a BA in Mechanical Engineering. That same year, shortly after graduation Melvin married the love of his life Charlene Joan (Siebert) Cohee and moved to Milwaukee to begin his first job with Allis Chalmers. Not long after, in 1959 Melvins first daughter, Jennifer Lynn Wilson, was born.
1961 brought with it a move to Sacramento, California to work for Aerojet General Corporation in the Rocket Division. In 1966, the Schwartz family welcomed their second daughter, Brenda Leigh Lowell (Edward). When not working Melvin had a powerful sense of adventure and took his young family camping most weekends, seeking out new adventures along the way. Between working and adventures with his family, Melvin still found time to advance his studies, graduating with an MBA from Sacramento State University in 1967.
The Schwartz Family moved to Southern California in 1971 when Melvin received a promotion to an Executive role, working in the Propulsion and Ammunitions Divisions in Downey, California. During this time Melvin continued his zest for a full life, he was not the type of Husband and Father that said, “someday we will” or “maybe in the future” he was a doer, he lived. Melvin loved scuba diving, ice axe climbing, repelling as well as biking. Melvin and his wife Charlene rode 1800 miles across the Northern United States on a tandem bicycle and sleeping in a tent along the way, this man knew no boundaries. In 1991, he took early retirement, purchased a Fifth Wheel Trailer, and hit the road. For over twenty years, Melvin and Charlene enjoyed the open roads of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. There were also additional trips such as teaching conversational English in China and vacationing in places such as Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, South America and most recently Antarctica in December of 2023.
Melvin loved spending time with his grandchildren Trisha Lehner, Joshua Wilson (Julanne), and Nathaniel Lowell as well as his great-grandchildren Liam, Lela, Jadeyn, Jamie, and Jenna.
Melvin will be deeply missed, and we will always remember what a life he lived. We will cherish what he instilled within us daily, pushing us to get outside, go on that trip, see something new and maybe even learn something about ourselves we did not know. You may look no farther than this loving Husband, Father, Grandfather, Papa, and friend to know that life is what you make of it and every day should be an Adventure.
Memorial service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 30, 2024, at New Jerusalem Church, 106 N. Maple, Pretty Prairie, with the Reverend Jane Siebert officiating.
The family invites their family and friends to join them following the memorial service from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for a Celebration of Life, to honor Melvin at the JM Collingwood Barn, 22002 S. Partridge Road, Pretty Prairie.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Susan G. Komen Foundation, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.