David William Schwinn

David William Schwinn was born November 6, 1947 in Ottawa, KS to John Frederick Schwinn and Lois Bernice Somers Schwinn. He had three older sisters, Sandra, Rita, and Linda. At that time, they lived on the only unbroken 320-acre farm in Franklin County. David loved living on and tending a farm. As a boy, he wore a Davy Crockett coonskin cap and would often jump in the trench silo. He would sit in a boy-sized rocking chair and giggle watching the Red Skelton show on TV. He was born and raised in the Baptist faith. He was in Williamsburg school system and graduated from Williamsburg High in 1965.

Soon after graduation, he married Janet Loux of Ottawa. Together they had 4 children: Frederick, Andrew, Matthew, and Susan. They started married life in Topeka, KS, he briefly owned a farm near Burlingame, they also lived for 4 years in Burlingame, KS then moved back to Topeka. From 1965 to 1986, he worked as a clerk at the ATSF offices in Topeka, KS. He developed a rare retinal disease and by the age of 25, he had to quit driving. He was able to work using an audio-visual aid.

He and Janet divorced after 19 years of marriage. They remained friends. He married Starlet Hallowell of Topeka in 1985. Star and David traveled widely throughout the US and briefly lived in New Hampshire and Washington State. They lived in Topeka, Belleville, KS, and finally settled in Topeka for their retirement. Together Starlet and David celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this year, in July 2025.

In his later years, David enjoyed the simple things like biscuits and gravy and watching old western reruns. He liked to participate in trivia and was sharp as a tack. Even being mostly blind, he knew exactly where he was in the city when he was driven around town. He could navigate each and every turn. He loved receiving updates about his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He gave astute advice about living, right up until the end.

He lived his last 13 years at Atria Senior living in Topeka, now Celebration Villa. He had many friends there. He loved to go to the dining hall, and they had excellent servers who always knew exactly what he wanted, how he wanted it, and tended to his every need with care. David had heart disease and declined rapidly in the last few weeks of his life, he ultimately passed away at the Midland Hospice house on November 5th, 2025, just 5 hours before his 78th birthday.

David was predeceased by his parents and his sister Rita Carter (Topeka, KS). He is survived by his wife Starlet, sisters Sandra Friend (Longview, TX) and Linda Stuart (Huntley, IL), children Frederick Schwinn, Andrew Schwinn, Matthew Schwinn, and Susan Schwinn, grandchildren Dustin, Ryan, David James, Victoria, and Cherokee, 8 great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He will be missed by all.

Graveside services at Mount Hope Cemetery, Topeka, KS on Friday, November 14th at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, David would have loved contributions to go to the Kansas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired: KABVI, 712SW Kansas Ave. Ste. 414 D-f, Topeka, KS 66603.

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