Click here to watch James' Liturgical Wake Service.

Click here to watch James's Mass of Christian Burial.

James C. “J.C.” Schwan, 93, of Aberdeen, passed away Sunday, November 19, 2017, at his home.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 25, 2017, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 409 2nd Avenue NE, Aberdeen, with Father Michael Griffin as celebrant.  

Burial, with military rites, will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Aberdeen.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Friends may sign James’ online guestbook and also view his service via the live stream service link at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Friday, at the mortuary, with a liturgical wake service and rosary at 7:00 p.m.  Visitation continues one hour before Mass at the church on Saturday.

James C. Schwan was born in his parents’ home in Aberdeen on August 20, 1924.  He was the eighth child of Joseph and Catherine (Usselman) Schwan.  James attended St. Mary’s Parochial School and spent his youth growing up on the north side of Aberdeen.  At the young age of 16, James and his buddy left Aberdeen for Portland, Oregon, where they worked building Liberty Ships.

In 1943, James joined the United States Navy and served his country until 1946.  After receiving his Honorable Discharge, James began what would become a 34-year career with the Milwaukee Railroad.

On September 1, 1948, James was united in marriage to Ruby Walterman at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aberdeen.  Before the birth of their first child, James was called back to serve during the Korean War.

With a love for the country life, James and Ruby purchased a farm north of Aberdeen in 1952.  There they raised their children:  Deborah, Daryl, Darwin, and Darius.  James loved his wife, family, faith, farm, reading, and hard work.  In his mid 70’s, James started to lose his eyesight.  This helped him with the decision to retire from raising cattle and the hay to feed them, although every spring he still missed seeing the newborn calves.  James left the farm for the final time, surrounded by family, on November 19, 2017.

James was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Sidney L. Smith American Legion Post #24, both in Aberdeen.

Blessed to have shared James’ life is his wife of 69 years, Ruby Schwan of Aberdeen; his children:  Deborah (Dennis) Huckaby of Rapid City, SD, Daryl (Debora) Schwan of Aberdeen, Darwin Schwan of San Tan Valley, AZ and Darius (Kim) Schwan of Aberdeen; 11 grandchildren:  Sandi (Bryan) Carrier, Trevor Huckaby, Shaun Huckaby, Nicole Carrier, James (Angie) Schwan, Eric (Hiromi) Schwan, Adam (Toni) Schwan, Lisa (Roger) Miller, Jessie Balliet, Melissa (fiancé Tyler Hanson) Schwan, and Joshua Schwan; 23 great-grandchildren; and one brother, Dennis (Martha) Schwan of California.

James was preceded in death by his parents and 14 siblings.