Roland Ivan Schwindt Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Roland “Rollie” Schwindt TORRINGTON, Wyoming – Roland “Rollie” Schwindt, 88, died Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at the Torrington Community Hospital. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 3, 2015, at the First Congregational Church with Pastor Matt Gordon officiating. Burial will follow in the Valley View Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the First Congregational Church and/or the Goshen Care Center. Visitation will be Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the funeral home and prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send their condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com . Roland Ivan Schwindt was born February 7, 1926, in Scottsbluff, Nebraska the son of Phillip and Katie (Hammer) Schwindt. He was born in a tarpaper shack. Dr. Grigg’s granddad delivered him at the farm. He grew up in Lyman, Nebraska. When Rollie was a young child his family lived in South Dakota for a short time but then moved back to the Wyoming/Nebraska area. He attended school at the Katzer School and then Lyman High School. After the 10th grade he left school to farm. Rollie worked several jobs to help support his dad, mom and sister. In his late teens he worked at the sugar beet factory while also farming. He married Martha Schaneman on March 2, 1947. He worked with his in-laws and also farmed for various people in the Huntley and Lyman areas. In the early 1970’s the couple bought their own farm in Veteran, Wyoming. After retirement and moving to town, he became “Head Chauffer” for Martha, her twin sister Marie and her sister Lorraine. From April 2011 through November 2012 he spent most of his time visiting Martha at the Care Center. Rollie was an avid Detroit Tigers Baseball fan. It was something that he enjoyed with his dad. He was also an airplane enthusiast. The family had to have a set of binoculars in every vehicle in case an airplane flew over; that way they could pull over and check it out. Rollie always enjoyed taking the family on summer vacations. He really enjoyed traveling. In 2013, his son Bruce and daughter-in-law Teri took him on a trip to Alaska for 3 weeks. Rollie loved the old country music and talked about going to county fairs to see the (what later became) famous artists. He also enjoyed country dancing in his younger years. One of his favorite possessions was his 1948 M tractor, of which the owner’s manual resides in his safe at home. He would still go start it up occasionally to make sure it still ran good. Rollie also served as a Member, a Deacon and a Trustee of the First Congregational Church in Torrington. Relatives, as well as friends, often said: “Rollie is such a good man. There will always be a special place in Heaven for him.” Survivors include son Gary (Susan) Schwindt; son Bruce (Teri) Schwindt and great grandchildren Gabrielle and Nicholas Schwindt. Preceding him in death was his parents; wife Martha; grandson Thaddeus Schwindt; brother Elvin (deceased at birth) and sister Darlene Keller.

Roland Ivan Schwindt

February 7, 1926 - December 30, 2014