January 8, 1916 – Saturday, January 31, 2009

Service Information
Saint John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
Saturday February 7, 2009
2:00 PM

Visitation Information

Daisy Sylvia Solange Schwartz (nee Mackey) was born on January 8, 1916 in Secaucus, New Jersey. Her parents Sophie (Johansen) and Oskar Edwardt Koivula were Finnish immigrants. Oskar had his surname changed from Koivula to Mackey upon entering the United States. Daisy was the eldest of three daughters and they were raised on a farm in Bloomsbury, New Jersey. Oskar spent weekdays working as a pile driver on piers, skyscrapers, the George Washington Bridge and Radio City Music Hall in New York City. He would return to the farm on weekends. Daisy was received into Holy Baptism in January 30,1916 and was confirmed in June of 1930.

Daisy’s first job was as a mother’s helper for a pastor and his wife. It was her cousin, Tess, who introduced her to Ben Schwartz. Their first date was to the Rialto Theater to see the latest Bing Crosby movie. They were married on May 21, 1938 in a civil ceremony. Ben was a plumber and during the war they traveled through many of the New England seaboard states and down to Louisville, KY, following the available jobs. They settled down in New York City in the area known as Hell’s Kitchen.

Daisy was a homemaker for most of her marriage. She was a good seamstress and enjoyed knitting and crocheting. She was a wizard with crepe paper when it came to making school costumes. She loved serving on the Altar Guild at St Matthew Lutheran in NYC and her greatest joy was singing in the St. Matthew choir. She worked at FAO Schwarz (no relation) for a couple of holiday seasons when the youngest children were older. Later on, she concentrated on continuing her education and earned her GED in 1973. She successfully completed a class in Intro to Psychology, at the Bronx Community College in 1975, in order to work at the NY Dept of Health as secretary in the Narcotics Division. She and Ben moved to Croton-on-Hudson, NY where she worked as a legal secretary for a local attorney until her retirement. After moving to Buffalo, Minnesota, she took Adult Extension Classes in English Literature through the U of MN. She was proud to say she held a 3.7 point grade average! Shortly after moving to Sunrise Assisted Living she took up the guitar at age 79! She enjoyed living at Sunrise because the staff and many of the residents were like an extended family.

Daisy is survived by her children: daughter Karen Hagert (Conrad) of Brighton CO, son Rev. Paul Schwartz of Lisle, IL, daughter Adelheide “Heide” Ludwig (Wilton) of Buffalo, MN and daughter Alexandra “Sandy” Schwartz of Buffalo, MN. She is also survived by grandsons, Peter, Philip, Timothy, Stephen and Mark and granddaughters Kirsten and Jennifer. There are two great grandchildren, Emma and Ben. She loved her nieces Nancy, Dorothy, Susan and Dawn as though they were her own daughters. There are several grandnieces and nephews as well as great grand nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Dorothy and Mildred, an infant daughter, her husband Ben, niece Julie and grandniece Wendy.

Daisy was a member of St John’s Lutheran Church in Buffalo. She dearly loved hearing and sharing God’s Word and faithfully read her bible daily. She looked forward to her “vacation to Heaven” and passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2009 securely in the Lord’s Hands.

A Celebration of Daisy’s life will be on Saturday, February 7th 2009 at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, at 2:00 PM. A Gathering time of Family and friends will be Friday from 3-7 PM at the Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, with a prayer service at 6:30 PM. Additional visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.
The Peterson Chapel is entrusted with arrangements.