Theodore Richard Schwandt Sr. Obituary
Theodore Richard "Ted" Schwandt Sr, passed away at the age of 87 on January 12, 2022. At the time of his death, he was a resident of St. John, Indiana but spent the majority of his adult life in Highland Indiana with his beloved family.
Ted was born on September 8, 1934, to the late Emil and Anna (nee Govorchin) Schwandt of East Chicago, Indiana. He is survived by his wife Sally (Cutean), four children: daughters Jennifer Briscuso of St. John, Suzanne (Steve) Delich of Dyer, sons Ted (Heather) Schwandt, Jr of Highland and George Schwandt of Atlanta, Ga; his adoring four grandsons: Thomas Briscuso, Blake Schwandt, Chase Schwandt, Jakob Delich, granddaughter Gracie Delich, and friend and companion Monica Williams. He is preceded in death by his sister Alice Cohorst and cousin Ronald Schwandt.
Ted graduated from East Chicago Roosevelt High School in 1952. He was a highly intelligent person but made the choice to begin working after high school instead of attending college so that he could help provide for his mother and sister since his father passed when he was 16 years old. His first job out of high school was working as a telephone repair person for Indiana Bell. He did this for several years before enlisting in the Marines. He chose the service due to his love for his country and desire to protect those who could not do so themselves. After his four years in the Marines, he came back to Highland where he lived with his mother and returned to work for the phone company and eventually met the love of life, his wife Sally. He volunteered as a scuba diver for the US Coast Guard, assisted with various projects for the Boys and Girls Club in Gary, and assisted with setting up Saint James the Less Catholic Church, at Highland High School. Ted was a dedicated, hard- working individual who worked his way up the Bell corporate ladder and retired an executive with Ameritech in 1994.
As far as his family, Ted epitomized unconditional love and compassion while providing financial stability during good times and bad. He was the type of husband, father, and grandfather that consistently put the needs of his family before his own. No matter how busy he was he always made time to help his children with homework and science projects, attend baseball games, lend an ear to his children and grandchildren providing advice, love and encouragement. He was a talented artist who loved painting everything from the great outdoors to portraits, enjoyed playing the violin and harmonica, could whistle better than the best of them, was fascinated with electronics and even built a television from "scratch.". He was an avid gardener who was proud of his flowers, trees, and garden. His other hobbies included fishing and swimming. Ted had a great sense of humor and could make anyone smile. He treated everyone with love, dignity, and respect. He was very proud of his family.
Family and Friends are invited to meet with the family on January 20, 2022 between 9:00 am and 11:00 am at The Descent of the Holy Ghost Church, located at 750 W 61st Ave, Merrillville, IN. Church services will be held after visitation. Burial at Calumet Park Cemetery located at 2305 W 73rd Ave, Merrillville, IN.
