Gary Schwab

Profile Updated: February 3, 2026
Class Year: 1968
Residing In: Oak Park, IL USA
Occupation: Retired engineer/IT manager
Military Service: Army Reserve  
Spouse/Partner: Divorced (twice)
Children: None
Yes! Attending Reunion
Which class?

June

What States have you've lived in other than IL?

New Jersey (Army Reserve active duty)

Where do you work now?

Retired

Where have you worked and/or retired from?

Science Applicatiions, Sherwin Williams, Ferrara Pan Candy, Midwest Spring and Stampingy

Have you ever been Self-Employed?

No

Did you marry your High School Sweetheart?

No

Have you been married more than once?

Yes

If Yes, how many times and to Whom?

Twice: Janet Spangenberg, Anne Koerber

Grand Children:

None

Pets:

Not recently. Two German shepherds with parent. Wives' cats.

Your High School Story:

Science nerd? Science fairs, etc. all four years. Class valedictorian.

Comment
Did you have a nickname in school? If so, what was it?

No

What were you in High School?

A Geek

Who did you have a crush on while in High School? And Why? Did you ever date him/her?

N/A

Who was your favorite teacher/s and why?

Hard to pick one. Mr. Fouts (Physics), Mr. Brown (U.S. History), Miss Lavin (Biology), Mr. Erwood (helped with science fairs).

What teacher/s did you dislike and why?

Let us not speak ill of the likely dead.

What is your favorite memory or memories of AHS?

You want a book?

What Elementary School did you attend?

Robert Emmet, Chicago, IL

Your Elementary School Story:

Again, too long for here. Sent home from kindergarten because not mature enough? Started in earnest 6 months later. Jumped two grades because I could already read. Put back because too young? Principal never liked me much. Didn't much thrive until high school.

Did you go to College?

Yes

If Yes, Where and When?

University of Illinois, Chicago, 1968-1979

Level of Education

Professional Degree beyond Bachelor's Ph.D. Information Engineeringing

Did you go to a Technical School?

No

What have you been up to since you graduated from High School?

B.S. M.S., Ph.D. at UIC (Information Engineering - Electrical Engineering and Computer Science). Worked as a consulting programmer at Argonne National Lab and for other clients. Programmer and manager at Sherwin Williams labs in Pullman for 11 years. Then worked as IT Manager at Ferrara Pan Candy and small spring company in Romeoville.Caught in final draft in 1972. Enlisted in local propaganda unit to avoid Vietnam. Retired as Chief Warrant Officer after 21 years. Board member for Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest for 30+ years. Active in Oak Park politics for 30+ years. Nominal head of four different Oak Park political organizations. Managed campaigns, ran for office (unsuccesfully). Served on Oak Park Community Design Commission (Chair 3 years) and Community Development Block Grant Committee. Active in Historic Preservation; working on 1897 E.E. Roberts house since 1981. Avid (obsessive) collector of many things (cars, watches, clocks, electronics, etc.).
Have you ever been on TV?

No.