Raymond G. Schwab

Raymond G. Schwab, 84, returned to his Father’s side on December 10, 2012, while at his home in Fulton, Missouri. He was born George Frank Schwab on June 1, 1928 in St. Louis but was called, and always known as, Raymond George. He resided in Ferguson, Missouri for more than 60 years before moving to Fulton in 2007.

Ray served his country during the Korean conflict in the US Army as a member of the Engineers. One of his primary roles was to trace buried mines and then de-fuse them when found (and you wondered why he was always so jumpy!)

Ray thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews then, as time passed, with his great-nieces and great-nephews. More recently he has become a favorite Uncle to his great-great nieces and great-great nephews, always willing to get out and play whatever games the kids wanted to play. Throughout the years he most enjoyed taking his nephews with him to share in his immense passion for fishing, often turning these into camping trips. When it wasn’t possible to travel to go camping, he would set up camp in his backyard where they would sleep out under the stars and then start the new day with breakfast cooked by Uncle Ray over a campfire.

One of his greatest passions was gardening and ensuring that everything was tended well, landscaped just so and always well-kept. He was a great collector of many things, never knowing when something might come in handy. Ray enjoyed people - meeting new people, helping friends and neighbors, always interested in what was going on and having great compassion for all those that he held dear.

Ray held a great thirst for knowledge and understanding of how things worked and, sometimes, just how some things were possible. You may have thought that he wasn’t paying attention, but he never missed a thing. He was a visual person and you could often find scraps of paper or the backs of envelopes where Ray was working through an understanding of a process by diagramming the levels of whatever he was concerned about.

Number 9 of 14 children, Ray is survived by his two youngest sisters, Betty (Leonard) Bruns of Fulton, Missouri and Jean Bouman of Des Plaines, Illinois, who are deeply saddened by his loss. He will also be missed by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, great-great nieces and great-great nephews, and numerous friends and neighbors.

Memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice in Ray’s name. Visitation will be held Thursday, December 13, 2012 from 4—8 pm in the Alexander-White-Mullen Funeral Chapel; Funeral services are Friday, December 14, 2012 at 11:30 am in the Alexander-White-Mullen Funeral Chapel, 11101 St Charles Rock Rd, St. Ann, Missouri, with interment to immediately follow the service at Laurel Hill Cemetery.