John Schwieger

John Vincent Schwieger, 68, of Madison, passed away on April 22, after living courageously with Lewy Body Dementia.

John was born on December 19, 1956 in Rochester, Minnesota – the son of Betty Abel and Vincent Schwieger. He grew up in Martin County, Minn., and spent a few years in West Palm Beach, Florida, before returning to his home state.

John earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from St. Cloud State University and later studied computer programming at Brown Institute. He spent more than 35 years working as a computer programmer at Ameriprise, where he met the love of his life, Sue.

The two married in 1986 and were longtime residents of Champlin, Minn. Together, they enjoyed going out and “getting into trouble” – whether that meant dinner at Maverick’s, biking to art fairs, cheering on Gopher sports, or annual visits to the Minnesota State Fair. After moving to Madison, they continued their adventures by discovering new favorite spots together – especially in the Willy Street and Atwood neighborhoods.

John was a great father and father-in-law who cared deeply about his family. He loved family trips to national parks, but showed his love most in the little things, like always offering a favorite beverage the moment you walked in the door, or cooking up his grandson’s special-request mac and cheese. He wanted nothing more than for his loved ones to be happy and taken care of.

He also enjoyed traveling, cooking, reading, and attending Madison’s vibrant neighborhood festivals. A lifelong film lover, he cherished his monthly movie group, and had recently begun sharing his favorite musicals with his grandson.

John is survived by his beloved wife, Sue Bodum; his son, Pete Schwieger (Corinne Burgermeister); and his grandson, Emerson. He is also survived by his dear sister, Jackie Hall; nieces and nephews, extended family and dear friends, and Duper the dog. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vincent Schwieger and Betty Abel.

The family extends a heartfelt thanks to the teams at Azura Memory Care and Agrace – especially nurse Victoria, for their compassionate care and support.

A celebration of life will be planned in both Madison, Wis. and in Minneapolis, Minn., to take place in the coming months.

As John often said – “I’m going to Vegas!”