CMSgt Raymond A. Schwartz USAF (Ret)

Raymond Albert Schwartz, 92, of Lompoc, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 25, 2016, in Austin, TX. He was born on 11/21/1923, in Milwaukee, WI, to William Lorenz and Elsie Greenwald Schwartz. Ray grew up in West Allis, WI, was baptized and confirmed at the First Lutheran Church of West Allis, and graduated from West Allis High School in January 1942. After graduation, he worked as a machinist apprentice with the Allis Chalmers Corporation until February 1943.

Ray was always very proud of his military career. He enlisted in the US Army in February 1943, and was assigned to the USA Field Artillery at Fort Sill, OK. In August 1944, he was hand-picked to join the Manhattan Project Specialist Engineering Detachment at Los Alamos, NM to work on the atomic bomb. He met and married his first wife, Catherine, in December 1944, while they were both stationed at Los Alamos. Each later received a letter signed by Dr. Oppenheimer thanking them for their contributions. Ray was discharged in March 1946, enlisted in the USA Reserve the next day, and served until November 1948. He stayed at Los Alamos as a civilian glass blower making items for chemical labs until October 1946.

Ray and Kay moved to Milwaukee, where Ray worked for the Linderman & Hoverson Company until June 1949, when he decided to pursue a career in electronics in the Air Force. He was stationed at Keesler AFB, MS (1949-1952), Offutt AFB, NE (1953-1954), Goose Bay, Labrador (1954-1955); Bergstrom AFB, TX (1955-1956); Randolph AFB, TX (1956-1958); Kindley AFB, Bermuda (1958-1960). In December 1960, after promotion to Chief Master Sergeant, he was transferred to the Air Defense Command (ADC) Long-Range Radar Systems at Point Arena, CA, and in December 1961, he was assigned to Vandenberg AFB, CA, to supervise and manage their Long-Range Radar Maintenance Programs until his retirement in August 1966. During his military career he received several decorations and awards. After retiring from the Air Force, Ray worked for the ITT Federal Electric Corporation at Vandenberg A.F.B. for 20 years, retiring as a Senior Engineer in January 1986.

After he and Catherine divorced in 1968, he married Jill Wienk in 1970. They spent 33 very happy years together until her death in 2003. Ray and Jill enjoyed playing bingo in Las Vegas, and at the Chumash Casino. Ray also enjoyed many years as a bingo caller at the Lompoc Farmhouse and Cabrillo H.S. They always loved having family and friends over to their house for dinners, card games, and every Christmas Eve was celebrated there. Even after Jill's passing, Ray would have regular outings with his friends and family and weekly meals with fellow veterans.

Ray was a well-respected and courteous person with many friends. People who hardly knew him would spontaneously like him, often saying what a wonderful man he was, and how they felt privileged to have met him. He once said, “First, I need to give credit to my mother and dad for the great way they molded my personal character. They had the greatest influence on my life.”

Ray is survived by his sister, Laverne Williams, his daughter, Racae Schwartz Meyer, and husband, Erwin, of Austin, TX; his son, Randall Schwartz, and wife, Sarah, of Austin, TX; grandson, Alexander Meyer; step-grandchildren: Christine Anzalone, Gregory Anzalone, Heather Corso, Jennifer Kozumplik, Tyrell Pinder, Brianna Pinder; great-granddaughter, Anne Alexandra Loren Meyer, and 10 step-great-grandchildren. Ray was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Donald and Billy, wives, Catherine and Jill, stepdaughter, Patricia Pinder, and stepson, Gary Wienk.

Visitation will be 4:00-7:00 PM on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at Starbuck-Lind Mortuary, 123 North A St., Lompoc, California. Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, May 5, 2016 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 135 South E Street, Lompoc, with Pastor Byrd officiating. Interment will follow at the Lompoc Cemetery.