Gregory Melbourn Schwartz

Greg was a loving father, brother, husband, and friend, who truly had a heart of gold. Greg was a Denver native and extremely proud of his state. He was a Broncos fanatic and loved everything Colorado sports. He developed his love for football at a young age, and grew to love Colorado’s extensive rock climbing routes, skiing black diamonds at A-basin, and throwing the Frisbee around the back yard with his family. He graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 1979 and was a star wrestler, holding several school records. His name can still be seen on display in the Gymnasium. He was also a track and field prodigy, exceling in the 400 meter race.

After high school, he joined the Navy where he served as a navy corpsman and orthopedic technician at Balboa hospital in San Diego, CA and Oak Knoll Hospital in Oakland, CA. He loved everything about living in California and this is where he developed his true love for the ocean. He enjoyed boogie boarding and body surfing in his free time, and throwing a football around in the soft sand beaches under the sun’s warm rays. Greg fully embraced and truly embodied the relaxed and laid back life style that was Cali. Although you can take the man out of Denver, you can’t take Denver out of the man. Greg loved telling the story of how he walked into a Raiders vs. Broncos in Oakland. True to form, he was dressed head to toe in orange and blue, sticking out like a sore thumb, and had to high tail it out of there as soon as the game was done because those Raiders fans weren’t having any of it (of course, the Broncos won).

Greg was the life of the party. Anyone and everyone wanted to be his friend and wanted to be around him. He had a special charisma and a million dollar smile that could light up any room. He truly loved being around people and socializing – one might say he had the gift of gab. A trait that he most certainly passed down to his two children. Even if you couldn’t see Greg at the party, you’d be sure and hear his big and boisterous laugh that could be heard from three houses down. His favorite yearly events were most certainly Fourth of July parties at his Uncle Jerry’s house (where he could be found doing back flips off of the diving board), caroling parties around Acres Green that always ended in ‘We Wish you a Merry Christmas’, and of course, family gatherings around Christmastime. He loved spending Christmas Eve watching White Christmas with friends and family, and then gathering around his parent’s tinsel strewn tree to open presents the next morning.

Greg was certainly, and without a doubt, always having fun. If he wasn’t telling one of his animated stories with great big hand gestures and his deep booming voice, he was out on the dance floor cutting a rug. Greg loved to dance and he was fantastic at it. Especially if he had a partner. He’d grab you by the hand and twirl and spin you all around the dance floor. Rhythm came naturally to him, and because of this, he had his own personal soundtrack to his life. Music was always playing in the background at home, in the car, everywhere. And although he would have told you he was the greatest singer on this green earth, well, he wasn’t half bad.

Greg was an animal lover. From his childhood dogs Queenie and collie Obi Wan, to his dogs Seka and Devin, he loved the companionship and loyalty that his dogs always provided him with. Greg was a gardener and loved tending to his garden. He had a green thumb which he surely got from spending time with his mother, Alma, in her vast rose gardens, and array of pansies and iris’s. Greg was a wiz in the kitchen. While often times he may not have actually enjoyed it, he was a master with spices. Having an incredible knack for taking an ordinary dish to extraordinary, with a culinary magic all his own. Sometimes that magic would teeter on actually igniting your mouth on fire with how spicy the dish was, but typically he would only subject himself to that kind of torture. One thing you could be certain of, was post meal, he could be found kicking back in a recliner with the TV on and a bowl of ice cream in hand. A skill he most certainly acquired from father, Bob.

Above all else, Greg was a kindhearted soul with a big heart. When asked to describe great, the overreaching characteristic that has been said time and time again, is how big and loving his heart was. This stemmed from his love of people and social interaction, but those that knew him knew that he loved his family and friends deeply. With all of his heart. And as every story has an ending, so must his. Surely he was taken from us too soon, but he is now finally at peace, watching down on all of us that knew him. Rest easy, Greg. Keep an eye on all of us. Make sure we wouldn’t do anything you wouldn’t do. We will always love you.

Greg is survived by his loving family: Kimberly Schwartz nee Ralston (wife) Kristin Schwartz (daughter), Casey Schwartz (son), and Jennifer Charles [Joel] (sister).

Greg was preceded in death by his parents; Alma Schwartz nee Walsh (mother and Robert “Bob” Schwartz (father).