1920
Alvin
2009
Alvin Schwarze
August 4, 1920 — June 17, 2009
Funeral services for Alvin R. "Shorty" Schwarze, age 88, of Milbank, will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, June 22, 2009, at the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank. The Reverend Keith Bicknase will officiate. Alvin died on Wednesday, June 17th, at the Golden Living Center in Milbank. Family members are asked to meet in the church fellowship hall by 10:00 a.m. Monday to attend services. The organist will be Roger Goosen. Special music will be provided by the Joy Choir and The Milltones. Pallbearers will be Roger Schwandt, David Schwarze, Glenn Strube, Calvin Schwandt, Craig Wellnitz, and Ralph Paul Schmidt. Burial will be in the Milbank City Cemetery with graveside military rites presented by the Birch-Miller American Legion Post #9 and the Grant County VFW Post #3486.
Alvin R. Schwarze was born on August 4, 1920, in Alban Township, Grant County, SD, to Arthur and Alfrieda (Pinkert) Schwarze. He received the blessed assurance of forgiveness, life, and salvation through the sacrament of baptism on September 5, 1920, by Pastor E.L.A. Bartling at St. John's Lutheran Church in rural Alban Township. He was confirmed at the same church on July 2, 1933, by Pastor William H. Hartman. He grew up on a farm east of Milbank.
Alvin attended Alban No. 1 country school and graduated in 1938 from Ortonville High School in Ortonville, MN. He went to Brookings Aviation School and took aviation maintenance. He had intended to join the service in that field, but was drafted.
Alvin served his country during WWII in the United States Army from June 10, 1942, until his discharge on January 10, 1946. He served in the southern Philippines and the western Pacific. Alvin received the Good Conduct medal, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the Bronze Arrowhead. Alvin was proud to have been able to serve his country.
Alvin was united in marriage to Phyllis E. Fischer on September 3, 1949, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Alban Township, Grant County, SD. After a honeymoon to Niagara Falls, the couple lived on the Schwarze farm six miles east of Milbank.
He was a 4-H member for four years and leader for six years, winning trips to the International Dairy Show at San Francisco, CA, and to the Chicago International Livestock Show. Alvin served thirty years on the community ASCS Board with nine of those years on the county ASCS Board. Alvin was a past director of the Big Stone Cheese Factory.
Alvin was a member of the Emanuel Lutheran Church. He taught Sunday school and the adult class. He was also a past treasurer, youth director, and church elder while he had been a member at St. John's Lutheran Church. At Emanuel Lutheran Church he had served on the Education Board and as an elder for eight years. He sang in the Emanuel Joy Choir.
He was a member of the Birch-Miller American Legion Post #9 and the Millstones in Milbank. Alvin was a past member of the Chautauqua Concert Association Board.
He was also a past member of the International Lutheran League serving as local president and had organized the L.L.L. Zone as president. He was an organic farmer and inspector of organic farms. He received the Conservation Farm Award in 1952 and 1953. He used to belong to the Roberts County Dairy Owner Sampler Testing Association.
Alvin enjoyed traveling, reading, writing, and going to high school sports, plays, and musicals.
Alvin is survived by two sisters, Frieda Wellnitz, Milbank, and Emma Schwarze, Ortonville, MN; two sisters-in-law, Beatrice Schwandt, Milbank, and Betty Schwarze, Ortonville, MN,and many nieces and nephews.
Alvin was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Phyllis with whom he had a wonderful, Christian life, one sister, Ruth Strube, two brothers, Paul and Elmer Schwarze, and four brothers-in-law, Leo Wellnitz, Edward Strube, Donald Fischer, and Roland Schwandt.
Alvin R. Schwarze was born on August 4, 1920, in Alban Township, Grant County, SD, to Arthur and Alfrieda (Pinkert) Schwarze. He received the blessed assurance of forgiveness, life, and salvation through the sacrament of baptism on September 5, 1920, by Pastor E.L.A. Bartling at St. John's Lutheran Church in rural Alban Township. He was confirmed at the same church on July 2, 1933, by Pastor William H. Hartman. He grew up on a farm east of Milbank.
Alvin attended Alban No. 1 country school and graduated in 1938 from Ortonville High School in Ortonville, MN. He went to Brookings Aviation School and took aviation maintenance. He had intended to join the service in that field, but was drafted.
Alvin served his country during WWII in the United States Army from June 10, 1942, until his discharge on January 10, 1946. He served in the southern Philippines and the western Pacific. Alvin received the Good Conduct medal, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the Bronze Arrowhead. Alvin was proud to have been able to serve his country.
Alvin was united in marriage to Phyllis E. Fischer on September 3, 1949, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Alban Township, Grant County, SD. After a honeymoon to Niagara Falls, the couple lived on the Schwarze farm six miles east of Milbank.
He was a 4-H member for four years and leader for six years, winning trips to the International Dairy Show at San Francisco, CA, and to the Chicago International Livestock Show. Alvin served thirty years on the community ASCS Board with nine of those years on the county ASCS Board. Alvin was a past director of the Big Stone Cheese Factory.
Alvin was a member of the Emanuel Lutheran Church. He taught Sunday school and the adult class. He was also a past treasurer, youth director, and church elder while he had been a member at St. John's Lutheran Church. At Emanuel Lutheran Church he had served on the Education Board and as an elder for eight years. He sang in the Emanuel Joy Choir.
He was a member of the Birch-Miller American Legion Post #9 and the Millstones in Milbank. Alvin was a past member of the Chautauqua Concert Association Board.
He was also a past member of the International Lutheran League serving as local president and had organized the L.L.L. Zone as president. He was an organic farmer and inspector of organic farms. He received the Conservation Farm Award in 1952 and 1953. He used to belong to the Roberts County Dairy Owner Sampler Testing Association.
Alvin enjoyed traveling, reading, writing, and going to high school sports, plays, and musicals.
Alvin is survived by two sisters, Frieda Wellnitz, Milbank, and Emma Schwarze, Ortonville, MN; two sisters-in-law, Beatrice Schwandt, Milbank, and Betty Schwarze, Ortonville, MN,and many nieces and nephews.
Alvin was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Phyllis with whom he had a wonderful, Christian life, one sister, Ruth Strube, two brothers, Paul and Elmer Schwarze, and four brothers-in-law, Leo Wellnitz, Edward Strube, Donald Fischer, and Roland Schwandt.