Obituary: Raymond Monroe Schwartz

Raymond Monroe Schwartz, 98, passed away March 13, 2019. He was the second son of Oscar and Eva (Richter) Schwartz, born in Bronx, N.Y. on May 15, 1921. He attended elementary school in New York and moved to Atlanta in 1929, where he attend James L. Key Elementary School, Hoke Smith Middle School, and graduated from Boys High School in 1938.

He held several positions in Atlanta before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in February 1942. He served in the 315th Troop Carrier Group, 34th Squadron until May 1945, where he attained the rank of staff sergeant. He was a radio operator on a C-47 air transport plane. He participated in the major campaigns in the European theater, including Operation Market Garden, D-Day invasion, Operation Overlord, the Battle of the Bulge, Operation Varsity and campaigns in Northern Italy.

He continued his military service in the Army Reserves and served in Financial Corps and Judge Advocate General Corps until 1957, where he attained the rank of first lieutenant.

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Following his service, he enrolled in Emory University business school and acquired a business degree in 1947, followed by a law degree in 1953. He practiced law in Atlanta until the age of 93. Earlier in his career, he had trials before the Georgia Supreme Court as well as the United States Supreme Court.

He also was an adjunct professor at Emory business school, where he taught courses in accounting and business law, and the law school, where he taught classes in income taxation as well as courses in personal investing for Emory adult evening classes.

He was a member of both the Georgia and American Bar Associations. He was active for many years with the 315th Troup Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Corps reunions, attending many conferences, editing the newsletter and planning reunions. He was an amateur radio operator since 1954, holding a general class license.

He became a mason in 1946 and was a member of the Morningside Lodge # 295, where he served as Worshipful Master in 1970. He was also an active member of the United States Power Squadron in Atlanta and served as its commander in 1975. In addition, he taught classes in Junior Navigation for 23 years.

He attained the rank of Senior Navigator, having completed the full curriculum offered by this organization, and was given life membership in this group, which is now known as America’s Boating Club Atlanta.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Jewish War Veterans, and Congregation Beth Jacob. He was married for 69 years to Ilse Wolf Schwartz, who preceded him in death in 2014. His son, Ronald, passed away in 2015. He is survived by his daughter, Arlene and her husband, John Kountz.

He was the consummate gentleman with unlimited talent for being at the right place at the right time and doing the right thing when he was there. He didn’t search  for adventure; it came to him. He was a devoted father, a wonderful son, and most of all, a true patriot. He was greatly loved and will be dearly missed by all that knew him.

He enjoyed traveling and planning trips and took many cruises with his wife and family. He enjoyed sharing wonderful stories of these trips.

He was interred at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, where a military funeral and memorial was held in his honor. Contributions can be directed to the National World War II Museum, c/o National Processing Center, P.O. Box 758590, Topeka, KS. 66675-8590 or the Jewish War Veterans of the United States, 1811 R St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20069. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.