In Memoriam: Anthony B. “Tony” Schwendinger, CRNA

Anthony B. “Tony” Schwendinger, CRNA, age 73, of Juliette, Georgia, passed away unexpectedly, on Monday, November 20, 2023, while on a hunting trip to Iowa. Tony was born on December 18, 1949, in Dubuque, Iowa, son of Paul and Eleanor (Becker) Schwendinger.

Tony graduated from Wahlert High School, Loras College and St. Theresa College in Winona, Minnesota. In 1977, he graduated from the St. Francis School of Anesthesia in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and went on to work in his profession as a CRNA for 46 years. He was proud of his Catholic education and his faith was a very important part of his daily life. Tony had a great devotion to praying the rosary as a 4th Degree Knight in the Clinton Knights of Columbus and attended mass weekly. He married Dina Willenbring on January 8, 1972, in Dyersville, Iowa, but they would eventually decide to go their separate ways.

Tony would find love again and was united in marriage to Kathleen “Kay” Nielsen on April 20, 2002, in Washington, Iowa. Tony was an avid hunter to say the least. He enjoyed hunting with his friends and led guided hunts at the preserve he and Kay owned, Crooked Creek Shooting Preserve, from 2001 until 2008, always with a loyal canine companion by his side. Tony was a kind and considerate man who always had a story to tell. We are heartbroken at losing him so suddenly and will miss him tremendously.

Those left to cherish Tony’s memory include his wife, Kay Schwendinger, Juliette, Georgia; his children, Paula (Steve) Ervolino, Peosta, Iowa and Amy (Nathan) Boston, Plover, Wisconsin; a step-son, Mehrvarz “Scott” Yavaliollah, Milwaukie, Oregon; eight grandchildren: Tanner, Natalie and Lauren Ervolino; Brooklyn Boston; and Aiden, Freya, Solomon and Stuart Yavaliollah; his siblings: Kathleen Schwendinger, South Carolina; Carol Timmermann, Galena, Illinois, Patricia Weber, Dubuque, Iowa; James Schwendinger, St. Cloud, Minnesota; and Ronald (Marcella) Schwendinger, Bernard, Iowa; his in-laws: Karen Schwendinger, Epworth, Iowa; Elizabeth Schwendinger, Guttenburg, Iowa; Jeff (Maureen) Nielsen, Denver, Colorado; Tami (Bob) Cross, Kansas City, Kansas; and Brenda (Jim) Simmonds, Pedasi, Panama; a special nephew, Chris (Anne) Raymond, Janesville, Wisconsin; his former wife, Dina Schwendinger, Dyersville, Iowa; his former daughter-in-law, Heather Bunting, Murrayville, Georgia; and several nieces and nephews.

Tony was preceded in death by his parents; his father and mother-in-law, Wayne (Lou) Nielsen; his siblings, Paul Schwendinger, Josephine (LaVerne) Fehring, Thomas Schwendinger, Donna (Dennis) Gotto, Joseph Schwendinger and Robert (Diana) Schwendinger; a sister-in-law, Carol Schwendinger; and three brothers-in-law, Merlin Timmermann, Rudy Weber and Larry Nielsen.

The family will thankfully receive your support through greeting cards and memorials in Tony’s memory which may be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, IA 52001, Attn. Tony Schwendinger Family.

This obituary was originally published on Behr Funeral Home’s website.