He was a member of the Citizen Band of Potowatomie Tribe of Oklahoma.
Survived by a Step-mother Joyce Schwartz of Topeka, two daughters, Jaimie Daniels of Topeka and Heather Bolden of Colorado ,a step-son Sean Schroeder of Milwaukee step-daughter Jessica Lannan of Topeka, a sister Kristy Barnes of Ozawkie & eight grandchildren. Also surviving are his Soul mate Amy Dean, his best buddy Larry & beloved pets Rex & Harley the one eyed dog.
A strict man he lead by example and would readily sacrifice for the needs of the family to be met. More than once he sold his prize possession a Harley motorcycle to buy Christmas gifts or make the house payment only to buy it back at an inflated price.
A lover of the out of doors Don & his fishing buddy Larry took Don's family on many a fishing adventure, can't call them trips because too much would happen on any one outing for it to be anything less than an epic.
Don served as a Father ,friend, fishing instructor, hunting instructor, family peace maker, safety net for those who lost their way.
Don spent many years of his life online, he went by the name MidNightRider. Don had many friends and family online as well surviving.
In the last year of his life was brightened by Amy his soulmate & sweetheart. Amy, Don's children noticed a change in him and wanted me to publicly express their thanks.
When we leave this life & go to meet our Father in Heaven, all that we take with us is our knowledge and memories. As the family and friends of Donald Schwartz you have many memories to cherish write them down share them with one another & your children, treasure the pictures & mementoes of you time together.
In closing the family wanted a poem called To Remember me to be read at his service. Don's family choose to donate organs. Don now lives on in at least 3 people at this time, his love of life gave life to them.
To Remember Me
The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital busily occupied with the living and the dying. At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has stopped.
When that happens, do not attempt to instill, artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. Don't call this my deathbed. Let it be called the Bed of Life, &
let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives.
Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise
a baby's face or love in the eyes of a woman.
Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused
nothing but endless days of pain.
Give my blood to the teen-ager who was pulled from the
wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his
grandchildren walk.
Give my kidneys to one who depends on a machine to exist
from week to week.
Take my bones, every muscle, every fiber and nerve in my
body and find a way to make a crippled child walk.
Explore every corner of my brain. Take my cells, if
necessary, and let them grow so that, someday,
a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat
and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against
her window.
Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds
to help the flowers grow.
If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weakness
and prejudice against my fellow man.
Give my sins to the devil.
Give my soul to God.
If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind
deed or word to someone who needs you.
If you do all I asked, I will live forever.