Singleton and Related Genealogy Pages
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1925 - 2017 (92 years)| Name | Ramon W. SCHWARTZ [1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17] | |
| Suffix | Jr. | |
| Birth | 25 May 1925 | Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina  [9] |
| Gender | Male | |
| HIST | of Sumter, South Carolina at death- he had 2 additional grandchildren- Maggie Schwartz and Page Schwartz- who are their parents? jkh RAMON SCHWARTZ JR. Posted Wednesday, July 5, 2017 6:00 am The honorable Ramon Schwartz Jr., former speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives, died peacefully on June 30, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey, after a brief illness. Mr. Schwartz, who was first elected in 1968, was a member of the House for 18 years. He was born on May 25, 1925, in Sumter, a son of the late Raymon and Madge Grossman Schwartz, and husband of the late Rosa Weinberg Schwartz. In 1942, he graduated from Edmunds High School and entered the University of South Carolina. When he turned 18, he left college to join the U.S. Army. He served in the European Theater of Operations. He was a member of American Legion Post 15 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3034. After World War II, Mr. Schwartz returned to the University of South Carolina, earning a bachelor's degree in 1948 and a law degree in 1949. While there, he was first vice president of the student body, a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Fraternity, a member of Kappa Sigma Kappa Service Fraternity, a member of the debating team, president of the Euphradian Literary Society, and a member of Wig and Robe Scholastic Society in Law School. Mr. Schwartz practiced law for 68 years in Sumter, beginning with his father in the firm of Schwartz and Schwartz. He was a past president of the Sumter County Bar Association. At the time of his death, he was a member of the law firm Schwartz, McLeod, Durant and Jordan. Mr. Schwartz was a fifth generation Sumterite - a fact he noted when he received the Order of the Palmetto from Gov. Nikki Haley and the Gamecock City Society award from the City of Sumter in 2012. In so noting, he talked about a value instilled in him by his parents - to give back to the community and make it a better place. To that end, he devoted his entire life to public service, beginning with civic organizations and charitable boards in Sumter and culminating with his tenure as the speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives. At the onset of his last illness, he talked about how fortunate he was to have lived in Sumter and about all the community had done for him throughout his life. After Mr. Schwartz's election to the South Carolina House of Representatives, he served on the Rules and Judiciary Committees. In 1975, he became chair of the Rules Committee. In 1976, he was elected speaker pro-tempore. Two years later, he was elected speaker, a position he held until his retirement from the legislature six years later. He served one term as chairman of the Southern Speakers' Conference. While in the Legislature, he received numerous awards. The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce named him the Legislator of the Year in recognition of his contributions to the state's economic development. The American Legion Department of South Carolina recognized him for years of outstanding service to his community and state. The South Carolina Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars honored him with its legislative award. The Pee Dee Area Boy Scouts of America designated him as a "Distinguished Citizen." The Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce gave him its outstanding achievement award. He received honorary doctors of law degrees from the University of South Carolina, The Citadel and Newberry College. A number of years after his retirement from the legislature, the General Assembly named a portion of U.S. Highway 76/378 abutting Shaw Air Force Base "The Ramon Schwartz Jr. Highway." Before serving in the House, Mr. Schwartz served eight years as the Sumter City Recorder. He served as president of the Sumter Rotary Club, the Sumter Chamber of Commerce, the Sumter Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees), the South Carolina Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Sumter County Community Chest and the Sumter Committee for Progress. Mr. Schwartz was Sumter's Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1957. After serving as president of the South Carolina Jaycees, he was designated one of three outstanding state presidents. He was also a life trustee (retired) of Tuomey Hospital Board and a trustee of the Maude C. Solomons estate, which established Solomons Home for the Aged. He was a member of the boards of directors of the National Bank of South Carolina and of the Carolina Coca-Cola Bottling Co. He was a past chairman of the Sumter County United Appeal, the South Carolina March of Dimes, the Sumter County Library Board, the Sumter County Bloodmobile Program, the Sumter County Housing Authority and the board of governors of Sunset Country Club. He was a member of the Shaw-Sumter Community Council. He had a special interest in higher education in Sumter and was a powerful advocate for it in the Legislature. In recognition of his contribution to USC Sumter, a building was dedicated in his honor on the campus. He also served on the USC Sumter Foundation Board and the Central Carolina Technical College Foundation Board. Mr. Schwartz loved his alma mater. He seemed to live for college football season and reveled in the Carolina-Clemson rivalry. He never wavered in his loyalty to the Gamecocks through the great seasons and the not-so-great. In 2001, he was honored by the Sumter Gamecock Club as the Sumter Fan of the Year. Survivors include a daughter, Barbara S. Burchstead (Harry); three sons, Ray Schwartz, Milton Schwartz (Caren) and Bill Schwartz (Meg); eight grandchildren, Michael Burchstead (Megan), Matthew Burchstead (Torrey), Sarah Nagy (Travis), Hughes Schwartz, Reid Schwartz (Katherine), Grier Schwartz, Maggie Schwartz and Page Schwartz; and three great-grandchildren, Vivian Burchstead, Grant Burchstead and David Nagy. His sister, Edith S. Joel, predeceased him. His family will remember him most as a devoted Christian and family man. Ramon was a devoted husband to his beloved Rosa. His family rejoices now that they are again together. He was a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather. There seemed to be no limit in his generosity to his family and to his friends. Mr. Schwartz was a member and a former senior warden and vestryman of the Church of the Holy Comforter. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday at the Church of the Holy Comforter with the Rev. Marcus A. Kaiser Sr. officiating and the Rev. Charles F. Walton preaching. Committal of the ashes will be in the Church Memorial Garden following the memorial service. The family will receive friends following the committal of the ashes in the Parish Hall of the church and other times at the home of his daughter, Barbara Burchstead, 120 Church St. His family extends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Matt Floyd, Dr. Don DuBose, Dr. Eddie Duffy and the staff of Palmetto Health Tuomey for their care in his final days. His family rejoices in his resurrection and is grateful to God for the life they shared with him. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Building Fund of the Church of the Holy Comforter, 213 N. Main St., Sumter, SC 29150; to USC Sumter, 200 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150; to the Solomons Home for the Aged, 620 N. Guignard Drive, Sumter, SC 29150; to the YMCA Annual Campaign, 510 Miller Road, Sumter, SC 29150; or to a charity of one's choice. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements, (803) 775-9386. Former speaker of South Carolina House of Representatives Schwartz Jr. dies at 92 Posted Wednesday, July 5, 2017 6:00 am "Both sides of the aisle respected him," recalled former South Carolina Rep. Grady Brown of Ramon Schwartz Jr., 92, who died Friday at Palmetto Health Tuomey. "Republicans, Democrats, he was very even when it comes to the rules and the law," Brown said of Schwartz. "He was an individual whom everyone respected." When Brown retired in November 2016, he was the last member of the S.C. House to have served under Schwartz's leadership, he said. "He was so nice to me as a freshman legislator, and I will always remember him," Brown said. Schwartz was born in Sumter in 1925 and graduated from Edmunds High School in 1942 before beginning his studies at University of South Carolina. His time at USC was interrupted by World War II, when Schwartz joined the Army and served in Europe from 1944 to 1945. Returning home, he earned his bachelor's degree in 1948 and a law degree in 1950. He then began practicing law with his father, Raymon Schwartz Sr., in Sumter as a partner in Schwartz and Schwartz. Schwartz was first elected to the S.C. House of Representatives in 1969, elected speaker pro tempore in 1976 and Speaker of the House in 1980. He remained speaker until his retirement in 1985. "He was very even when it comes to the rules and the law as speaker," Brown said. "When he was challenged on an article or question, he was well-rounded and knowledgeable and able to handle the duties as speaker." From 1960 to 1964, Schwartz was president of the South Carolina Jaycees and served on numerous boards including Tuomey Hospital and Solomon Home for the Aged. He was also a president of Sumter Rotary Club and Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce. "I can't think of anyone in our community in the 52 years I have lived here who has done more to serve our community," said Roger Ackerman, a well-known Sumter attorney. "He was a giant." Schwartz was married to the late Rosa Weinberg of Sumter. They had four children: Barbara, Ray, Milton and Bill. [4, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17] | |
| MILI | He left college to join the U.S. Army. He served in the European Theater of Operations. [14] | |
| _UID | 23A1FA3393C14D9AA1E0865D087F9EF9AE6C | |
| Death | 30 Jun 2017 | Palmetto Health Tuomey Hospital, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina |
| Burial | 6 Jul 2017 | Church of the Holy Comforter Memorial Garden, 213 N. Main St., Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina [14] |
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| Person ID | I140126 | Singleton and Related Families |
| Last Modified | 27 Oct 2025 | |
| Father | Raymon SCHWARTZ, Sr. d. Bef 30 Jun 2017 | |
| Mother | Madge GROSSMAN d. Bef 30 Jun 2017 | |
| _UID | C9A0609FE30140D39C905B202F954C2A40AC | |
| _UID | C9A0609FE30140D39C905B202F954C2A40AC | |
| Family ID | F209853 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family | Rosa WEINBERG, b. 1926, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina d. 26 Dec 2008, Tuomey Regional Medical Center, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina (Age 82 years) | |||||||||
| _UID | 3363B07B213641A59278BD01D8CCA38996EF | |||||||||
| _UID | 3363B07B213641A59278BD01D8CCA38996EF | |||||||||
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| Family ID | F96201 | Group Sheet | Family Chart | ||||||||
| Last Modified | 23 Mar 2026 | |||||||||
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