Walter J. Schwen

Walter was born August 22, 1916 in Blue Earth, son of Walter and Margaret Schwen. He graduated from Blue Earth High School in 1934. After undergraduate education at Westmar College (Lemars, Iowa) and University of Minnesota, and civil pilot training, he joined the Navy to become a naval aviator. Walter''s first naval assignment in WWII was in the South Pacific, principally in the New Hebrides Islands. His primary role was as a test pilot for repaired combat planes. During the last year of the war, he was transferred to the Hawaiian Islands to continue his test pilot role. After the war, he was a Lt. Commander in the Naval Reserve until 1955. The TBM torpedo bomber, SBC, SB2C and F4U were the planes Walter was most fond of flying. Walter had a life long love of aviation. He kept his pilot''s license into his 70s and owned several planes. After the war ended, Walter joined the family ice cream business, Schwen''s Ice Cream Company, as advertising vice president and worked there until 1975.Earlier in his life, Walter was active in the Boy Scouts of America and received the Eagle Award. He later received the Silver Beaver Award from Twin Valley Council for his years of service to the district and council as an adult volunteer.Walter married S. Jean Anderson in 1947. They had 7 children. Walter is survived by his daughters Andrea (Richard) Sanders of Gallatin, TN and Katherine (Randal) Tweden of Mahtomedi, MN; sons William (Catherine) Schwen of Cottage Grove, MN, Richard (Zeinab) Schwen of Cincinnati, OH, David (Lynda) Schwen of Bemidji, MN, Edward (Roben) Schwen of Rochester, MN and Jeffrey (Gayle) Schwen of Lakeville, MN. Also surviving are a brother Maurice (Marvel) Schwen of Brainerd, MN and 16 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother, father, brother Howard Schwen, sister Dorothy Collins and grandson Nicholas Schwen.