George Edwin Schwartz

Disciplined, thoughtful, generous, honest and dedicated have all been adjectives used to describe

George Edwin Schwartz who died on November 9, 2022, at his residence in Canterbury Inn.

Longview, WA. He was born on May 28, 1924, in Nampa, Idaho, to Arthur Earl and Alpha

Mabel Schwartz. At an early age, George took an active leadership role in several clubs and

activities at Nampa High School ranging from Honor Society to Dramatics Debate.

George went on to further his education at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, in

1942. While there he became a member of the Acacia Fraternity, the Husky Pep Band, and also

joined the Army Reserves. He was only at the University of Washington for six months before

he was called up to active service in the military. While George was in training at Fort Dix, he

and his high school sweetheart, Marjorie May Allen, decided to get married. She traveled from

Nampa to Trenton, New Jersey to marry him on April 1, 1944. After six months, George was

sent to Europe to serve as a Cryptographic Technician with the 94 th Signal Battalion. When he

returned home from the military George and Marjorie went on to the University of Washington

where George received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Business in 1948.

After George graduated, he and Marjorie moved to Portland, OR, where he was hired by Price

Waterhouse & Co. and he was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant. In 1953, they moved to

Longview where he had been asked to serve as the Assistant Treasurer and Secretary for

Longview Fibre Company. He soon moved on to become the Vice-President of Finance and

Secretary to the Board of Directors. In 1975, George was asked to move out of his financial

management role to become Vice-President of Production. In 1982, he became the company’s

Mill Manager and in 1985 he become Executive Vice-President and Mill Manager. George said

he liked working at Longview Fibre Company because he liked serving on a management team

that stressed honesty and integrity. A team that showed a concern for people and not just bigger

numbers and the ‘bottom line.’ A place where decisions were based on ‘what’s right’ and not

‘who’s right.’. George retired in 1992.

George was active on professional and community boards and foundations. He served as a

trustee for the Northwest Pulp and Paper Association for 17 years; a member of the Washington

Pulp and Paper Foundation at the University of Washington with the G.E. Schwartz/Wollenberg

Foundation Scholarship awarded annually; a member of the Foundation Board of the Longview

Public Library; a member of the Board of Directors for the Toutle River Boys Ranch; and for 25

years a member, secretary, treasurer and president of the Board of Trustees for Cowlitz General

Hospital which later became the Monticello Medical Center.

George was a member of the Longview Country Club where for 46 years he participated in a

community lunch and discussion group “Jolly Boys”. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge

#263; the Longview Pioneer Lions Club; and the Longview Chamber of Commerce. He also

enjoyed connecting with ham radio operators throughout the world using the callsign WB7FGW

(full gallon whiskey).

When George and Marjorie first moved to Longview they became members of Longview

Community Church, assisting in leadership and taking the time to develop some close and lasting

friendships. In their later years, they became members of Kelso United Methodist Presbyterian

Church.

George believed that his greatest personal accomplishment and joy was his family. George and

Marjorie enjoyed married life with each other for over 73 years. They traveled together

throughout the United States, Europe, China, Canada and Panama. When their children were

younger, they would often spend their summer vacations at a family cabin in Warm Lake, Idaho,

or trailer camping in Oregon parks. Later they would invite all the family to a week at Black

Butte Ranch, OR. to play golf, tennis, fish, swim, ride bicycles, hike and enjoy delicious meals.

George loved taking pictures and editing both single photographs and movies. Over the last

decade, he devoted countless hours to developing a family history that would remind his family

of their ancestors and also help them to remember the joyful times they have spent together.

George is survived by his daughter Kathy Schroeder of Portland, Oregon; son and daughter-in-

law Tom Schwartz and Cheryl Nutting of Portland, OR; son and daughter-in-law Steven and

Marie-Jose of Portland, Oregon; his grandchildren Heidi and Brooke Goddard of Santa Cruz,

CA; Julie Schroeder of Portland, Oregon; Elizabeth Schwartz of Oakland, CA, Michael Schwartz

of San Francisco, CA, Natasha Schwartz of Portland Oregon; and his great-grandson Owen

Goddard of Santa Cruz, CA. George was preceded in death by his wife Marjorie, and his son-in-

law Richard Schroeder.

On Saturday, January 7, 2023, a Masonic Service and a Memorial Service will be held at Kelso

United Methodist Presbyterian Church. The Masonic Service will be held for George at 12:30

p.m. and it will be followed by a Memorial Service at 1 p.m. officiated by Rev. Vonda

McFadden.