Perry J. Schwierzke

Perry J. Schwierzke, 87, of College Station, Texas, passed away on November 17, 2023. Perry was born on September 19, 1936, in Dime Box, Texas, to Hattie (Blaha) and Perry J. Schwierzke, Sr.

Perry graduated from Caldwell High School in 1955 where he was captain of both the basketball and football teams, a class officer and the Future Homemakers of America Pinup, a title he thoroughly enjoyed. After graduating from high school, Perry enrolled at Allen Junior College on a basketball scholarship.

After graduating from Allen Junior College, Perry attended Texas A&M University from which he received his Chemical Engineering degree in 1960 and was a Distinguished Military Graduate. Upon graduation, he was commissioned into the United States Army as a 2^nd Lieutenant. He was assigned to Fort Sill, OK as an instructor in the Nuclear Weapons Employment Branch of the U.S. Army Artillery and Missile School’s Tactics – Combined Arms Department. After completing his two-year assignment, he served in the reserves for 10 more years.

Perry married Sara Nell Herrmann on September 7, 1957 at Cooks Point Methodist Church. They first met in fifth grade and began dating during their senior year of high school. They had two daughters, Patti and Sally.

Perry started his career with Celanese Chemical Company in Bishop, Texas. After 10 years, he was transferred to Japan, an experience he and Sara so enjoyed that they looked for other overseas opportunities. After leaving Japan, they spent the next 20 years overseas with stops in Marsa el Brega, Libya (9 1/2 years) with Esso Libya;  Bontang, Kalimantan, Indonesia with Huffco (4 years) and finally Jakarta, Indonesia with Kodeco (7 years).

After their overseas adventures, Perry and Sara returned to College Station in 1990, the city where they first started their married life. They dove headfirst into Aggie athletics, supporting and traveling to numerous events including football, baseball, basketball (men’s and women’s), volleyball, softball, and tennis. They had a streak of 29 years straight attending Aggie football games, including away games. Perry was also a supporter and attendee to the Aggie Kickoff Camp.

He was an Endowed Member of the Association of Former Students, a member of the 12^th Man Foundation, John David Crow Legacy Society, and the Brazos County A&M Club. He was also a member of the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni and a lifetime member of the Friends of the Texas A&M University Libraries. Together, Perry and Sara were members of A&M United Methodist Church in College Station.

Perry was a voracious reader, a World War II and Civil War buff, and loved reading historical accounts of battles and visiting as many of the sites as possible. He also enjoyed gardening, cutting wood, and spraying mesquites at the family farm in Caldwell.

He was preceded in death by his parents, mother-in-law and father-in-law Lydia and Henry Herrmann, brother James A. Schwierzke, brother-in-law Roy Herrmann and his wife Dorothy, brother-in-law James Herrmann, and sister-in-law Evelyn Heald and her husband Edward.

Perry is survived by Sara, his wife of 66 years; daughter Patti and husband Curtis Jaggars; daughter Sally and husband Chris Gavras; grandson Travis Jaggars; granddaughter Ann Jaggars Matthews and husband Wil Matthews. He also leaves behind an aunt and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Perry’s memory to the Class of ’60 Veterans Ring Fund, (The Association of Former Students, 505 George Bush Dr, College Station, TX, 77840 or by visiting the following link: tx.ag/Schwierzke), or to Friends of The Texas A&M University Libraries (Friends of the Texas A&M University Libraries, PMB# 186, 3515 Longmire Dr, Ste. B, College Station, Texas, 77845) or a charity of choice.