Gene Fredric Schwartz was born July 25, 1939 in Estherville, Iowa, the son of Richard and Mathilda Schwartz. He lived on a farm near Terril before moving to Spirit Lake in 1950. He attended Spirit Lake High School.
He worked as a groundskeeper at Brooks Country Club in Okoboji. He enjoyed landscaping, antiques, automobiles and farm machinery. He was interested in animal welfare issues. He was friendly and outgoing and was well liked by his friends and acquaintances. Gene was responsible for planting all of the trees presently in Brooks Golf Club.
Gene passed away December 14, 2009 at Spencer Municipal Hospital in Spencer, Iowa at seventy years of age.
He is survived by his sister, Jewel Schwartz of Spirit Lake.
Gene was preceded in death by his father, Richard Schwartz, in 1989 and his mother, Mathilda Schwartz, in 1993.