John Edward Schwarz

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Schwarz, John Edward was born in Mpls on November 21, 1931. He died on April 13, 2021 at the age of 89, surrounded by family and friends at the Covenant Rehab and Hospice facility in Golden Valley. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Mabel Schwarz; his wives, Susan McClain Schwarz (d.1971) and Barbara (Babby) Ericson Anderson Schwarz (d.2016); son Jay Schwarz (d.2005) and brother Jim Schwarz (d.2019). He is survived by biological children Randy Schwarz (St. Paul), Sara Schwarz Groden (Boston), Scott Schwarz (Tamarac, FL), Carrie Schwarz Burke (Fort Lauderdale), daughter-in-law Jesi Schwarz, widow of Jay Schwarz (Dallas), and son Bruno Schwarz (Belgrade, MT); grandchildren Susan (Groden McDonald) and Erin Groden, Justin, Joseph and Stephanie Schwarz, Jonathan, Brandon and Elizabeth Burke, Susan, Maria and Joseph Schwarz, and great-granddaughter Abigail McDonald; brother Dick (Fort Lauderdale) and step-children Kathryn Anderson Richards (Mpls), Keith Anderson (Manhattan, MT), Judd Anderson (Baltimore) and Sara Anderson Hahn (Bozeman, MT); foster son David Waithaka (Nairobi, Kenya); and countless step-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. John graduated from Wooddale School in Edina (1947), West High School in Mpls (1950), University of Minnesota (1953, BBA), William Mitchell College of Law (St. Paul, 1959, Juris Doctor) and Regent College, Vancouver, Canada (1990, Masters in Christian Studies). When John graduated from the U of M he went to work for General Motors in Detroit (1954-1955). He later became a CPA with Arthur Andersen in Mpls (1956-1959); was an investment banker with Dain Kalman Quail (1960-1965); the treasurer of Dayton Hudson Corporation (1966-1973); and a vice president of Pillsbury (1974-1977). John finished his career in Minneapolis, where he started, with Dain Bosworth (1978-1984), following which he and Babby went to Kenya as missionaries. John started an MBA program at Daystar University, the largest Christian college in Africa (1985-1986); taught the Bible for two years in a Pentecostal church in the slum of Mathare Valley; and with Babby founded Kinyago-Dandora School, which today has over 1,000 students, and a clinic-based community health care program for MIHV (Minnesota International Health Volunteers). When John and Babby returned to Mpls, John went to Regent College, a graduate school of theology in Vancouver, British Columbia, and began writing books on Christianity (his last book was What is Christianity All About?) He also produced numerous Christian education programs and teaching videos for churches. John was confirmed at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in 1946. He and Babby were members of Colonial Church in Edina, Park Avenue Methodist in Mpls, Christ Presbyterian in Edina and Mountain View Presbyterian in Scottsdale. John and Babby were residents of Minnesota, lived for three years in Kenya, and wintered in Scottsdale, Arizona. In their retirement years they traveled throughout Europe and Africa and toured Israel, China, Latin America and the Middle East. John was an active handball player at the Mpls Athletic Club for 40 years and a golfing member of Interlachen in Edina and Talking Stick in Scottsdale. He was a long-time board member and treasurer of Daystar University, Kenya Children's Fund, MIHV and TURN (Twin Cities Urban Reconciliation Network), and a director of John Stott Ministries (now Langham Partnership), the Edina Rotary Club, the Lupus Foundation, and Faith At Work, a men's Bible study group that discussed issues related to religion, faith and work. A memorial service will be held at Colonial Church (6200 Colonial Way in Edina) on May 27, 2021, (the 50th anniversary of his wife Susan's death) at 2:00 PM followed by light snacks in Colonial's tented parking lot - weather permitting. Memorial gifts should be sent to Kenya Children's Fund, which runs and funds the school that John and Babby started in Nairobi in 1987. KCF's address is P.O. Box 4159, Hopkins, MN, 55343. John will be buried in a small immediate family-only ceremony at Lakewood Cemetery prior to the memorial service.

Published on April 18, 2021