Jerome Conrad Schwartz - Wood Lake

Jerome Schwartz, age 68 of Wood Lake, passed away on Sunday, April 27, 2014 at the Season’s Hospice House in Redwood Falls. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, May 2, 2014 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake. Visitation will be held from 5-8 pm on Thursday at the Sunset Funeral Home in Echo with a prayer service at 7:45 and will continue one hour prior to the service on Friday. Burial will follow the service at St. John’s Church Cemetery. Online condolences can be sent to www.sunsetfuneralassociation.com. Sunset Funeral and Cremation Association is caring for the family. Jerome Conrad Schwartz was born on December 3, 1945 to Conrad and Elizabeth (Schroeder) Schwartz in Wood Lake, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wood Lake. Jerome attended the Wood Lake Parochial School and graduated from Wood Lake Public School. Jerome was active in the Junior Choir and after graduation, he joined the Senior Choir and was active with the choir until 2007. He attended Granite Falls Technical School and graduated from the machine shop course in 1967. That same year, Jerome entered the United States Air Force. He spent one year and four months stationed in Okinawa and with five months left in the service, Jerome was called back overseas to Thailand. After his honorable discharge from the Air Force, Jerome came back home and started farming the family farm in 1972 and has been involved with farming ever since. In 1975, Jerome was united in marriage to Darles Knutson and two children were born to this union.  Jerome had a great love for music, attended many concerts, but especially loved singing God’s praises. In 2001 Jerome joined the Southwest Area Chorale and continued to sing with that group until present. He was also active with the Granite Falls VFW, Wood Lake American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and was active on the St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery Board. Jerome enjoyed anything John Deere, music, singing, concerts, and attending as many auctions as scheduling would allow. He also enjoyed inventing, tinkering, loved restoring tractors and farm equipment and keeping his vehicles clean. He liked to travel, loved his cats, and especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Grateful for having shared in Jerome’s life is his special friend, Leona Sween of Volga, SD; two children, Jeff (Nikki) Schwartz of Wood Lake, and Janine (Anthony) DiGiulio of North Providence, RI; eight grandchildren, Brooklyn, Bryce, Madison, Brandon, Cheyanne, Brandon, Michael, Anthony; siblings, Lois (Lee) Bruss of Roseville, Arvid (Judy) Schwartz of Green Isle, and Sharon (Ken) Ebert of Cannon Falls; Aunt, Delaine Schwartz of Vesta; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents. Blessed be his memory.