Gary Schwendimann

 

October 29, 2020

Gary Schwendimann

October 2, 1948 - October 4, 2020

Gary Lee Schwendimann passed from this life with complications from a recent heart procedure on October 4, 2020. He was 72 years old and a life long resident of Hohenwald.

Gary was born on October 2, 1948, at Boyce Clinic on Park Avenue in Hohenwald to Leo Felix Schwendimann and Billie Juanita (Whitwell) Schwendimann, also deceased.

He grew up with three brothers, Don, Van and Tim, on Fourth Street. He made numerous friends during his childhood, and attended Lewis County Schools. Gary came from a hard working family, that definitely set a standard he would carry throughout his pre-teen and teenage years, endorsed by his eagerness to find and keep one or more part-time jobs from the early age of 14 years, when he ran the nostalgic soda fountain at B & O Pharmacy for Store Owner and Pharmacist Isham Hurt. Gary loved the drug store atmosphere and serving the public. This too planted a seed for a career in pharmacy at a young age.


Gary began dating his future wife, Gypsy Jo Vaughan, in 1964 when she happened by B&O Pharmacy one day in the winter of 1964. They began dating and continued to be a couple through their high school years. Gary proposed to Gypsy Jo in his senior year on January 25, 1966, and graduated from Lewis County High School the following spring of that year. Now with a future life long partner in the picture, and holding tight to his dream of becoming a pharmacist, Gary enrolled in Columbia State Community College. This was the first of many classes to be accepted into the newly constructed few buildings that would be an educational opportunity of a lifetime for rural area county high school graduates.


President LBJ, being a personal friend of Howard J. Warf, Commissioner of Education, accepted the invitation to address the first Columbia State Community College graduating class to speak for the commencement service.

Gary graduated from Columbia State Community College in the spring of 1968 with an associates of science degree. He and Gypsy Jo married in August 9, 1968 and resided in Hohenwald only for a short time until he was accepted into UT Memphis School of Pharmacy, where Gypsy Jo worked and supported her husband's future. Gary graduated from UT Memphis School of Pharmacy with a doctorate degree in 1971.

Gary was immediately hired by Super D Drugs, having previously established a working relationship working part-time as a pharmacy tech. He began his career as a pharmacist in Madison, and soon received a promotion to a management position in Murfreesboro. Gary made the decision to return to his hometown and be the owner and pharmacy in residence of a Super D franchise store. The following year, Gary was recruited by the Super D corporate office in October of 1975 to take a position as district manager. This was a chance for him to put his natural talent to the test by assisting other franchise store managers in developing successful stores in pharmacy and retail. At the time it seemed like a golden opportunity to move up the corporate ladder, so he sold his partnership in Super D Drugs in Hohenwald. Gary excelled in his field, however leaving his wife and baby daughter, Heidi, to travel for work was tugging on Gary's heartstrings. Gary wanted to be at home with his family. He was offered a partnership with his former classmate and colleague, Larry Dabbs. Gary joined Larry at the Super D Drugs in Hohenwald and was happy to be employed locally again. During this time Gary was very involved in civic duty, promoting and dedicating hours toward restoration of the original relocated L & N Depot. Gary also spent many hours assisting other Historical Society volunteers in organizing and establishing the Lewis County Museum Board in preparation for the soon to be donated wild game collection of Dan Maddox. In 1978, Gary and Gypsy Jo were blessed with another daughter, Kathryn Lark (Cassi).


Gary was always ready to go. This was perfect for a wife that returned from one trip abroad and began scheduling the next. During their travels Gary photographed gardens, landscapes and architecture of interest, only to return home where he would put his newfound knowledge and ideas into a home project. Gary had a great friend and assistant gardener, Howard Gay, that always worked tirelessly by his side to keep his property in tip top shape. Every prom season, and often time for senior year photos, families would bring their teens to have photographs taken at the Schwendimann's residence. They were pleased to bring joy to others lives by sharing in creating their special memories.

Gary gave his life to the Lord and was baptized at the Hohenwald church of Christ in 1982. There, he and his wife attended church and served in numerous ways for over twenty years.

During this time, Gary's love for traveling was enhanced even further when he was introduced to the mission field. He and Gypsy joined the Hohenwald Church of Christ team and traveled to Guyana for their first mission - what a life-changing experience. This was the beginning of their love for missions. For several years, each summer they would travel to Belize with a mission team setting up a clinic in the bush to care for the sick and minister the gospel of Jesus. Gary and his wife were instrumental along with the medical mission team by contributing to an education foundation making it possible for the children to receive educational materials and attend school.

Gary had a wonderful life, but his heart was broken when he lost his oldest daughter, Heidi, at 39 on March 6, 2012. This experience was a test of faith that he embraced with Gypsy Jo as they both grieved her absence each day. Gary and his wife made the decision to place membership at Maury Hills Church of Christ shortly after Heidi's death, to lend encouragement and support to their grandson, Harrison, and their son-in-law, Russell. Gary and Gypsy Jo were still attending, and serving, at Maury Hills Church at the time of Gary's death.

As Gary drew closer to the end of his career, he remained true to his field of pharmacy where he was employed with Liberty Drugs in Centerville and Fred's Pharmacy locations until his retirement in 2019.

Gary loved animals and the Schwendimann home was no stranger to numerous family pets over the years. Gary was particularly fond of a border collie he bonded with that was his daughter Cassi's. Since Cassi lived in the city, it wasn't possible for Archer to enjoy running free and playing outdoors. Archer had been to the Schwendimanns for visits when Cassi needed a sitter. He seemed to really like parents' property. Taking that under consideration, Cassi gifted her collie, Archer, to her father. Gary and Archer were inseparable. Wherever Gary went, Archer was close behind. It was only a few months prior to Gary's passing that he lost his best friend Archer to a rare respiratory illness.

Gary was a fourth generation "Hohenwald" Schwendimann, and a great-grandson of Johannes Schwendimann and Marie Wenger Schwendimann, immigrants from Switzerland, and early Swiss settlers of Hohenwald

A memorial service celebrating Gary's life was held at the Hohenwald Church of Christ on Oct. 10, 2020. Speakers for the service were long-time friends of Gary, Bill Lynch, David Adcox and R.E. McDonald. Harrison Cothran, Gary's only grandson, opened the service with his personal expression of his love and respect for his grandfather, entailing his personality delivering his obituary. A special feature of the service was when Jonathan Jones led the congregation in "Love One Another." Honorary Pallbearers were Howard Gay, David Michael Schwendimann, Hans Schwendimann, Larry Dabbs, Steve Scott and Rick Jones. Garth Richardson, a close friend of the family, served as the Memorial Service Director.

Many memories were shared by those in attendance at Gary's service.

He will be forever in our hearts, and all of us who had the opportunity to share life with him feel truly blessed.

Gary is survived by his wife of 53 years, Gypsy Jo Schwendimann; daughter, Kathryn Lark Fitzgerald of Springhill; grandson, Harrison Leo Robert Cothran of Chicago; son-in-law, Russell Cothran of Franklin; and one brother, Van Schwendimann of Franklin.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Heidi Schwendimann Cothran; and brothers Don Schwendimann and Tim Schwendimann.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to one of the following charities:

Belize Education Found-ation, in care of Maury Hills Church, 101 Unity Lane, Columbia, TN 38401; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: JDRF, P.O. Box 37920, Boone IA 50037-0920 or online at https://www.jdrf.org/; or American Heart Association: American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association, P.O. Box 840692. Dallas, TX 75284-0692 or online at https://www.heart.org.

 

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