Joan Schwartz

Joan K. Schwartz, age 88, of Rochester, MN was called home to heaven on September 5, 2024 at Cottagewood Senior Communities.

Joan Katherine was born on February 11, 1936, to Ernst Kusch, Sr. and Katharina Ullrich Kusch in Schleswig, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Schleswig. After graduation from Schleswig High School, she attended Concordia Teacher's College in Seward, Nebraska. She then taught school at St. Paul's Lutheran School in Ogallala, Nebraska for 3 years. While in Ogallala, she met and married Donald W. Schwartz. They were blessed with two children, Nadine and Nathaniel. For a time, she stayed home to raise the children. She later went to work for North Platte Public Schools. She retired in May of 1996 after working for 20 years as a para-educator. She was an active member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church where she served on various boards and committees, taught Sunday School, and was an active member in Lutheran Women's Missionary League. In 2016, she relocated to Rochester, Minnesota to be close to her son and his family. She immediately became an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, attending worship and Sunday morning Bible class, and participating in the Surviving Spouses group. She was so proud to be able to encourage and support her son, Trinity's senior pastor.

She is survived by a daughter, Nadine (Jim) Avary of Gretna, Nebraska and a son, Rev. Nathaniel Schwartz (Gretchen) of Rochester, Minnesota. She has three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald, her sisters, Esther Hawley and Edna Paris, and her brothers Fritz, Lucas, Ernst Jr., and William Kusch.

In lieu of flowers the family encourages memorials to Trinity Lutheran Church of Rochester, MN or Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, September 16. 2024 at Trinity Lutheran Church (222 Sixth Avenue SW, Rochester, MN). A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. A burial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17 at the North Platte Cemetery in Nebraska.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Schwartz family.