Ann S. Schwier

Passed away peacefully at home on Saturday December 30th, just shy of her 94th birthday. She was born in St. Louis, where she grew up and attended school, graduating Summa Cum Laude with her B.S. in Economics (1944) and her Ph.D in Economics from Saint Louis University in 1952. Prior to her graduation, she had been a faculty member as well. She went on to a long and distinguished career as professor, and later, head of Economics at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where she retired as professor Emerita in 1990 and remained actively involved with the university for the rest of her life.

In 1969 she became the first woman elected president of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Statistical Association.

In 1971 she published the first English translation of Vilfredo Pareto's "Manual of Political Economy", a major economic work which remains the definitive edition to this day.

She also served as first female president of the Missouri Valley Economic Association (1976-77).

Outside of her academic career, she was an enthusiastic traveller; taking the "Orient Express" across Asia, cruising European rivers, seeing the Polar Bears in Churchill, watching whales in Alaska, feasting in South America, and most impressively, swimming in Antarctica in her 70s.

A voracious reader well into her 90s, she also had a keen interest in art, music, history, fashion, and a great dinner out to mention but a few.

Mrs. Schwier is predeceased by her husband of 46 years, Jerome (who she met while attending SLU), her brothers Robert and Alvin, and her only son Charles. She is survived by her grandsons Gavin (Rebecca), Alastair, daughter-in-law Gail, and numerous nieces and nephews. She will also be missed by all the wonderful and kind friends she made while living over 40 yrs at the Pierre Chouteau condo, especially Barbara and Don.

A most extraordinary, intelligent, and generous woman, she will be most remembered by those who love her for her joie de vivre and her infectious laughter, which brought a smile to anyone fortunate enough to have spent time with her. A life well and truly lived.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ann's name may be made to the Union Avenue Opera, 733 N. Union Blvd.; St. Louis, MO 63108