Roger Schwieso

Roger Duane Schwieso was born on September 1, 1935, to Wilbur and Lena (Christensen) Schwieso in Manilla, Iowa. He was one of five children and attended country school in Nishnabotna Township before graduating from Manilla High School with the Class of 1954.

Shortly after graduation, Roger enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he proudly served his country from May 28, 1954, until his honorable discharge on January 12, 1976. On April 21, 1956, he was united in marriage with Shirley Vinke at the Lutheran Church in Manning, Iowa. Two children, Sheri and Roger Jr., were born to this union.

During Roger's military career, the family lived in several communities before settling at McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Washington. He served as a flight engineer and completed two tours of duty in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Having enlisted near the end of the Korean War, the remainder of his military service was spent during the Vietnam era. One of the proudest moments of his career was participating in Operation Homecoming, which brought American POWs home. Roger deeply loved serving his country and understood the sacrifices military life required of both himself and his family.

Following his military retirement, Roger remained a devoted advocate for veterans. He was actively involved with the local VFW, serving on numerous committees, including as a legislative representative. Each year, he traveled to Washington, D.C., where he worked tirelessly to advocate for veterans' rights and legislation. He also volunteered for many years at the VA Hospital and served as chairman of the board for the Veterans Auditorium in Harlan, helping establish the facility alongside fellow veterans. Roger also served as president of the Shelby County North Golf Course and was always willing to assist widows of servicemen in applying for the benefits they deserved. He was also a member of and volunteered with the American Red Cross. Whether helping friends on the farm or volunteering in his community, Roger believed in staying busy and helping others whenever he could.

After retiring from the Air Force, Roger and Shirley returned to the Harlan area to help care for their parents. Shirley passed away on April 19, 1992.

Roger later met Connie Hodne-Sahl, and the couple was united in marriage on June 4, 1993, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Harlan. Through their marriage, Roger welcomed Connie's three children into his family.

Roger enjoyed dancing and helping organize the annual Winter Polka Fest at the Veterans Auditorium. He loved golfing and cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs and Iowa Hawkeyes football teams. Earlier in life, while living in Washington, he was an avid hunter and fisherman. Roger was a lifetime member of the VFW and had the distinct honor of serving as Iowa State Commander of the VFW from 1988 to 1989. He was also a member of the Helmer Reyelt American Legion Post 150. Roger enjoyed traveling, discovering great restaurants around the country, and sharing stories from his years of military service. He and Connie spent approximately 14 years as snowbirds, enjoying winters at their condominium in Sun City, Arizona, until health concerns brought that chapter to a close.

Roger passed away on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, having attained the age of 90 years, 9 months, and 23 days. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilbur and Lena Schwieso; his first wife, Shirley Schwieso; his son, Roger Duane Schwieso Jr.; his son-in-law, Joe Marion; his sisters, Janice Morman and Kathy Nightingale; and his brother, Gary Schwieso.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Connie Schwieso of Harlan; his children: Sheri Marion of Lakewood, Washington, Trenton (Lisa) Hodne of Manilla, Jill (Delbert) Bissen of Defiance, and Amy (Shawn) Corbin of Urbandale; 12 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; his brother, Dennis Schwieso (Betty Kimmen) of Sun City, Arizona; along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Celebration of Life Services will be held at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the family for designation to organizations that were meaningful to Roger.