Joseph Francis Schweickert

Joseph Francis Schweickert, 90, of Toledo, OH passed away on July 1 with his loving wife Sharon at his side. He was born May 25, 1930 to Joseph and Mary Schweickert, and was the youngest of four children.
Joe grew up on Vermont Street, attended St. Mary’s Catholic grade school and graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1948. Joe first met Sharon, his loving wife of nearly 63 years, when they were both students at the University of Toledo.  They later crossed paths at Samson’s Bar in Toledo and Sharon fell head over heels for Joe – she was always interested in seeing him.  Their first date was a double date, but they were each paired up with another suitor! Regardless, Sharon and Joe hit it off and Joe asked her out the next day.  From that day forward, their love for each other created a family of six children, 15 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.  
A proud veteran of the United States Air Force, Joe served as a sergeant in the Korean War. Stationed on Kwajalein Atoll (part of the Marshall Islands) in the Pacific Ocean, his work on Operation Ivy, testing the hydrogen bomb, earned him the Forwarding Communications Award. To put in perspective how powerful and impactful this was, the yield of the test bomb was almost 500 times that of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki during WW2.
After the military, Joe worked at Auto-Owners Insurance as a Claims Adjuster and Supervisor for over 30 years. He was a Charter Member of the Holy Name Society at Regina Coeli Parish and a member of the Knights of Columbus, Toledo Chapter. In addition to Joe's loyalty to his country and his community, he was devoted to his family and his faith. Unconditional and constant love, support, joyfulness and humor, and pride for all his family are values that Joe taught through example and will remain with us all. He always had a song in his heart and a prayer on his mind.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Mary, his sister, Vera, his brother, Walter; and his daughter-in-law, Pam Schweickert. Joe is survived by his wife, Sharon Rose (Maher) Schweickert; his children Mary (Tom) Hagan, Joe (Jeannie) Schweickert, Ed (Angie) Schweickert, Beth (Joe) Beham, John (Tammy) Schweickert, and Sue (Loren) McDonald; 15 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; his sister Betty Fischer, and sisters-in-law Sue Speweik, Katie Maher, Carolee Maher, and Sophie Hawks.

Visitation with social distancing will be Sunday, July 5 from 4-8 p.m. at Sujkowski Funeral Home Northpointe, 114 E. Alexis Rd., where members of the Regina Coeli Holy Name Society will lead a rosary at 7 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be Monday at 10 a.m. in Regina Coeli Catholic Church (Kotz Hall), 530 Regina Pkwy. Those attending the Funeral Mass are invited to go directly to the church. The VFW 606 Burial Corps will conclude with Military Honors in Resurrection Cemetery.
Rather than flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Regina Coeli Parish, Right to Life (https://www.nrlc.org/), or St. Jude’s Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/).