Richard J Schwartz

TSGT (Ret.), USAF

4 May 1934 – 26 August 2012

Born May 4th, 1934 to Clarence and Harriet Schwartz in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Richard was the second of four children – brother Robert and sisters Lois and Barbara.

Richard fashioned his love for airplanes and aviation into a career in the United States Air Force, serving from November 1953 to July 1974. During this time, he served as crew chief and flight engineer for various aircraft including the B-45A, B-47E, RB-47C, B-57E, B-66, KC-97, and NKC-135A. His service took him to many places both stateside and abroad, including New York, Texas, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Hawaii (Oahu), California, England, Wake Island, Kwajalein, Midway Island, Guam, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Labrador, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador.

During his three years of service in England, Richard met his wife Heather; they were married in 1957. Their eldest son Larry was born in Norwich, England; their second son Douglas and their daughter Heather Ann were born in New York after the family’s return to the States.

After Richard’s retirement from the Air Force, he moved his family to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he started his second career at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. He worked as both a Quality Inspector and Product/Customer Support Service Engineer, and was involved in many engine programs including the F-100, J-52, TF-30 and J-58. He retired from Pratt & Whitney in 1988, completing a combined 35-year career in aerospace.

In retirement, he enjoyed hobbies of model trains and attending airshows. He was a member of the Valiant Air Command. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife, her sister Sylvia and Sylvia’s husband Len.

Richard is survived by Heather, his loving wife of 55 years; son Larry and his wife Jen-ro; son Douglas, his wife Dianna and their sons Charles and Richard; and daughter Heather Ann, her husband Stuart and their daughters Courtney and Olivia. He is predeceased by his parents Clarence and Harriet, brother Robert and sister Lois.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation to the Parkinson’s Foundation or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Richard will be remembered for his devotion to his wife Heather, his pride in his children and grandchildren, his boyish sense of humor, his impish grin, his love of planes and trains, his fondness for Donald Duck, and his never-ending appetite for cake and ice cream (both kinds). He will be greatly missed by his loving family.