Robert L. Schwerin

Robert L. Schwerin age 104 of Acton formerly of Annapolis, MD passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at his home at his daughter's residence. He was the beloved husband of the late Marion L. Schaefer. Robert and Marion celebrated 68 years of marriage before her death in Annapolis in 2009.

Robert L. Schwerin was born in New York, NY on July 9, 1917, the son of the late Paul J. and Rosalie H. (Lewis). After attending public grammar school in the Bronx, he moved with his family to Rutherford, New Jersey.

His father, a pioneering researcher with Bell Telephone Laboratories, was transferred to England before the depression. Robert along with his mother Rosie, older brother Horace, and younger sister Mildred followed later on the Queen Mary. He often spoke of his life in England as an exciting adventure. He attended three private schools in the London area where he played rugby, and resided in France for several months. After graduating secondary school in England, he returned to attend Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He met Marion on the Rutgers campus where she was attending New Jersey College for Women (now Douglas College). He would describe her as "brilliant and beautiful." He would graduate with a BSEE in 1939 and marry Marion after her graduation.

As a Word War II veteran of the US Army, he served as a 2nd Lt assigned as carrier officer with the 3186th Signal Service Battalion. His unit was transferred to the Philippines and later deployed to Japan following the Japanese surrender. His medals and honors include the Philippine Liberation Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

Upon his Army Discharge, Marion and Bob moved to Caldwell, New Jersey where they lived for 12 years and raised their children, Jack and Louise. Bob worked for a defense contractor and established a career in radar and electronic countermeasures. He continued this career in NAVELEX, the Naval Electronic Systems Command in Virginia from 1965 until his retirement.

During service with the Navy, Robert had several temporary assignments to Hawaii working at Pearl Harbor on Oahu and Barking Sands base on Kauai. Robert deployed on the nuclear submarine the USS SARGO to evaluate the effectiveness and reliability of the sonar systems. He received a special recognition award from the Navy for his work in Hawaii.

Robert and Marion lived in Silver Springs Maryland during his assignment with NAVELEX. After his retirement, they moved to Palm Harbor, Florida near Tampa. They later returned to Maryland, purchasing a house in Annapolis, Maryland in the Heritage Harbor senior community.

Robert was passionate about writing and sharing short stories frequently based on his World War II experiences ("One Sunday Morning", "The Biography of a Nuclear Submarine"). After the death of Marion, Robert moved to Acton, Massachusetts. He immensely enjoyed attending creative writing classes at the Concord Library, water arthritis classes at the Beede center in Concord as well as Coffee and Conversation meetings at the Council on Aging in Concord.

In addition to his parents, Paul J. Schwerin and Rosalie H. (Lewis) Schwerin, Robert was preceded in death by his wife Marion L. (Schaefer) Schwerin, his brother Horace Schwerin, his sister Mildred Clark, and his grandson, Bodine (Bo) Schwerin.

Robert is survived by his two children. Louise (Schwerin) Gerhart, and John (Jack) R Schwerin and his wife Joanne. Joining in the celebration of his life are his grandson Adam Gerhart along with Adam's partner Tracy Spiegelman of Scotland and his granddaughter Emily Bledsoe and her husband Matt Bledsoe of Flager Beach, Florida.

Robert has three energetic young great grandchildren: Parker Bledsoe and Samantha Bledsoe are children of Emily and Matt Bledsoe. His oldest great grandchild Albert (Albee) H. Schwerin is the son of Christine Tai Schwerin and the late Bo Schwerin.

Family and friends will gather for a public memorial service on Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 10:00 am at the Acton Arboretum, 2 Taylor Road, Acton, MA. Burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia will be private.

Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap Street, Concord, MA 01742 978-369-3388 www.concordfuneral.com