John Alan Schwartz

John Alan Schwartz, age 90, of Spartanburg, died Wednesday afternoon, July 10, 2024, in his home, surrounded by his family.

John was born June 27, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of George Adam and Jane Addams (Varshay) Schwartz. On November 24, 1956, he married his college sweetheart Laura Jane Krueger in Malden, Massachusetts. Laura preceded him in death on September 19, 2017, just two months prior to their 61st wedding anniversary.

John grew up in Maspeth, Queens, NY. He was baptized, confirmed and attended Maspeth United Methodist Church. He attended P.S. 73 and then Brooklyn High School of Automotive Trades, where he received the Bausch & Lomb Science Award, and graduated Valedictorian of his class in 1952. He attended the University of Maine, Orono, graduating in June 1956 with a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering. 

For 68 years John worked in the engineering field. His career began at National Analine in Buffalo, NY, followed by almost a decade with Carwin Chemical/Upjohn Company in Hamden, Connecticut, and several years at Tanatex/Sybron Chemical in New Jersey. He and his family lived in New Shrewsbury, NJ, where he volunteered with the First Aid Squad. In 1975 he moved his family south to Spartanburg, South Carolina to continue work with Sybron Chemicals (later became Bayer, then StarChem) in Wellford, SC. He was Plant Manager and later served as the International Consultant for overseas projects, traveling most frequently to Holland to help with new process installations and operations there. In 1990 he earned his Professional Engineering license. He retired from Bayer in 2001 at age 67 and began his successful 2nd career as the CEO of his own chemical process consulting company, Consulting Engineering Services, LLC. John maintained his P.E. credential and his chemical engineering work through his company until his death.

At the University of Maine, John was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. John was famous for his fun stories of his college life, especially the days when he lived in the fraternity house and served as the cook for the house as part of his duties. John and Laura had a deep connection to their alma mater and to many lifelong college friends. They travelled to Maine to attend many class reunions throughout their marriage, including the 60th reunion. In recent years, John maintained the alumni newsletter for his college class of 1956, and helped establish the class scholarship fund. He kept his connections to UMaine friends by phone and email throughout the pandemic.

John was an avid sports fan. He loved to root for his L.A. Dodgers, N.Y Giants, N.Y. Rangers, and any team Clemson. Living on the east coast, he was often watching L.A. baseball on TV after midnight. He had season tickets to the Clemson Football games for 42 years. He also loved to watch and play golf. In retirement, he played at least weekly until he fell ill suddenly with Leukemia in May 2024. For 20 years he volunteered at the BMW Charity Pro Am. He played yearly in the Golf.com World Amateur Golf Tournament at Myrtle Beach and had been planning to play again this fall. He enjoyed bowling throughout his life. Three members of his Spartanburg 4-man Thursday night league team “The Gatorades” played together for over 40 years. He was completely committed to his league play, often working his calendar and even his European trips around his bowling schedule. John was the Treasurer for the Spartanburg leagues for over 30 years and was inducted into the Spartanburg Bowling Hall of Fame in 2001.

John also enjoyed the arts, especially music of any sort. He supported the Peace Center for the Arts in Greenville, SC and attended musicals, opera, symphony and concerts of all kinds. He enjoyed listening at home and in the car to classical, swing, and easy listening, and was a great dancer. He enjoyed singing, and taught the words and melodies for dozens of “the old songs” to his granddaughter, who uses many of those tunes and lyrics in her work as a music therapist.

John enjoyed traveling. He and Laura visited every US state, and traveled to Europe multiple times. He especially enjoyed social time. He loved to eat out, or host family get-togethers at home. He was a great cook. Every New Year’s Eve he would cook steak and lobster for family and friends, having learned how to feed a crowd during his time in college and also the First Aid Squad fundraising dinners. He was a master at the grill. For over 20 years his children and grandchildren looked forward to gathering together for a week he provided at the beach. John was always at the center of activities there, preparing fruit and cooking breakfast to order for every adult and child as they wandered into the kitchen, and beating them all at cards and games in the evenings. He was the life of every party, generous, warm and friendly, never knowing a stranger. He always made people feel welcome.

John was a current member of the Uptown Spartanburg Executive Sertoma service club. He attended Episcopal Church of the Advent in Spartanburg.

Survivors are his son Bruce (Martha) Schwartz of Spartanburg; son David (Suzanne) Schwartz of Greenwood, SC; daughter, Jane (Tom) Polett of Grand Rapids, MI; sister, Judy (Rafferty) Lung of Spartanburg; companion Hattie Haulbrook of Spartanburg; nine grandchildren: Bruce Winslow Schwartz Jr. of Spartanburg; Harriet (Schwartz) Rawls (Mike) of Atlanta, GA; Michael Schwartz of Charlotte, NC; Laura (Polett) Pittsley (Dan) of Grand Rapids; Danielle (Schwartz) Mauldin (Mike) of Charlotte, NC; James “Jimmy” Schwartz of Spartanburg, SC; Sarah (Polett) Greenwood (Dalton) of Chicago, IL; Andrew Schwartz of Greenville, SC; and Matthew Polett (Heidi) of Lebanon, IL; sister-in-law, Diane Krueger of Framingham, MA; as well as a nephew and several nieces, great nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, step-father James Rafferty, in-laws Winslow and Doris Krueger, brothers-in-law Bruce Krueger and Andrew Lung, and his son John A. Schwartz, Jr.

Visitation will be held 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, July 15 at J.M. Dunbar Funeral Home, 690 Southport Rd, Roebuck, SC 29376. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 16 at the funeral home, with The Reverend Kellie Wilson and The Reverend Paula Griffin officiating.

A private family burial will be held at Heritage Memorial Gardens in Roebuck.

In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to:

University of Maine Foundation https://umainefoundation.org/ 

Mobile Meals of Spartanburg https://www.mobile-meals.org/ 

Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association (Illinois) https://qsoa.org/ 

or the charity of your choice.