Leorial Joyce Schwartz

Leorial (Lee) Joyce Schwartz, age 91, formerly of Williston and a resident of Sun Lakes, Arizona, walked gracefully into the welcoming arms of her Lord and Savior on January 17, 2018, after a short struggle due to complications from a fall. Born on November 21, 1926 to Vernon Marion and Hattie Armilda Brewer in Council, Idaho, she was the second of three daughters born to the marriage. Her father Vernon, was a US Forest Ranger in Western Wyoming and Utah. Following her dad’s forest assignments, the family moved to a few towns in Utah before they settled in the town of Jackson, Wyoming. She attended Jackson-Wilson High School where she studied and in her spare time, participated in cheerleading, women’s basketball and became a skilled downhill skier. She graduated from Jackson-Wilson High School in 1944 and went on to study at the University of Wyoming and Utah State Agricultural University. During her final year of studies and while working in Jackson she met the love of her life, Thomas Anson Schwartz who was a consulting oil and gas well mud logger. They were united in marriage on January 8, 1949 in Logan, Utah. Lee then finished her studies and graduated from Utah State Agricultural University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce on June 3, 1949. After a short period in Denver, Colorado and the birth of their first two children, Tom and Lee with the onset of the oil boom in the Williston Basin moved their young family to Williston, North Dakota where they worked and settled in the community, expanded and raised their family of 4 children (Darcy, Danny, Rebecca and Dirk) for the next 37 years. After raising her children and with the revival of the oil and gas business in the mid 1970’s, Lee with Tom at her side, learned and became an excellent court house title examiner who was revered by many in the business. The oil and gas business had its ups and downs, but through those years her love for her family, friends, community and the oil and gas business never wavered. During the long and cold winters in Williston, Lee started playing bridge and became quite proficient which led her to becoming a Master Bridge Player. With the onset of spring each year, Lee always looked forward with great enthusiasm of getting outside to pursue her passion of planting her vegetable and flower gardens, having patio & barbeque parties as well as golfing. Lee was an accomplished golfer who loved the sport. While in Williston Lee, was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Williston, First Union Church and First Lutheran Church of Williston. In 1989, Lee and Tom moved to Sun Lakes, Arizona to spend their retirement years golfing, enjoying friends and family. After the passing of Tom in 1996, Lee continued to play golf, play bridge, enjoy family and occasionally travel the US and overseas with her girlfriends and sisters. She was a member of the Mountain View Lutheran Church, Phoenix, Arizona.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Vernon M. and Hattie A. Brewer, husband, Thomas A. Schwartz; sisters and brothers-in-law: Nita and Ray Maleckar and Wanda and Robert Hobbs; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Harold and Francis Schwartz and Stuart and Wilma Johnston. Surviving are her four (4) children: Darcy and (Neva) Schwartz, Tempe, AZ; Danny and (Gina) Schwartz, Fort Collins, CO; Rebecca and (Matthew) Farrell, Westminster, CO; and Dirk and (Lisa) Schwartz, Broomfield, CO; five (5) grandchildren: Derek Schwartz, Tempe, AZ; Whitney and (Andrew) Brown, Phoenix, AZ; Natalie and (Bryan) Taute, Phoenix, AZ, Christopher and (Dana) Schwartz, Fort Collins, CO; and Leah Schwartz, Broomfield, CO. Three (3) great-grandchildren: Braxton Brown, Olivia Schwartz, Adrian Schwartz and step-daughter: Susan Pratt, Solvang, CA. Lee loved her family and each one was special to her in their own and unique way.

The family extends its many thanks and is forever grateful to Nicol (Nic) Surgenor, Lee’s caregiver who for the past two years cared for, supported and treated Lee with great respect and dignity. The family also thanks the Renaissance Memory Care Center of Sun Lakes and the Nurses of Hospice of the Valley for their compassionate care of Lee.

A private family internment service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, January 26, 2018, at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery in Centennial, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please donate to Bethel Lutheran Foundation, Williston, North Dakota. Bethel Lutheran Foundation,1705 3rd Avenue West #101, Williston, ND 58801.