Kent James Schwieger

On March 10, 2024, Kent Schwieger passed away peacefully with his wife Pat, daughter Anna, and son Eric holding his hands. 

 Kent earned his undergraduate degree and a Masters of Civil Engineering at Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy in Rolla, MO. He was midway through earning his doctorate at the University of West Virginia, when he was drafted by the Army in 1968. He spent 2 months in Columbia, on a massive project to use nuclear cratering to create sea level canal routes.  He then served as unit commander in the Vietnam War, where he was awarded five medals of honor. 

 After two years of military service, Kent began his career in Wichita, KS at HWS technologies. Outside of work, Kent nurtured his passions for life and adventure. As a young man he thrived riding dirt bikes in the Flint Hills with his friends, and racing his British sports cars in autocross. 

 It was during this time that Kent met the love of his life, Pat. They married in 1978 and began their family in the Riverside neighborhood in Wichita, KS. There they welcomed their son Eric into the world on March 20th, 1979. Two years later to the day their daughter Anna was born. When the kids were 5 and 3 years old they moved to Derby, KS, which became their home for the next 40-plus years.

 His summers were spent exploring the country with family on road trip adventures - Silver Dollar City, Rockwell City, IA, the Colorado mountains, South Dakota, and many more. In 1994, the family traveled to Racine, Wisconsin to celebrate his mother’s 80th birthday with Kent’s brother, Dennis and family.  In 1996, Kent, Pat, and the kids ventured to Atlanta for two weeks to experience the Summer Olympics with sister Betsy and family. 

 As much as Kent loved being a geotechnical engineer, his main commitment was to his family. He consistently went out of his way to show his love for them.  He used his carpentry skills to make his fireman-obsessed son a fire tower in the backyard. He then built a “playhouse” for Anna that was indoor plumbing-shy of being a small home. Given his love and aptitude for math, he frequently helped both his kids with their math homework over the years. He coached Eric’s Biddy Basketball team, and he never missed any of Anna’s high school soccer games. 

 As the kids headed off to college, Kent reinvested in his love of exercise. A life-long bicycling enthusiast, he also took up running in his 50s and ran five miles nightly. At 71 years old, Kent explored the Grand Canyon, climbing 3 miles down and back in blistering heat accompanied by his son. 

 Kent was made for being a grandfather. His gentle, patient nature truly shined while holding his grandbabies.  His first granddaughter, Berkeley, was born in 2014.  As he was partially retired at the time, he and Pat lovingly traveled to Kansas City for several days each week for the first year of Berkeley’s life to watch her when Anna went back to work.  Kent’s second granddaughter, Avi, was born in 2016 and the adventures continued.  He loved reading stories with his granddaughters and giving them pony rides around the living room.  As a devoted grandpa to two little girls, Kent proudly donned a suit each December to escort Pat, Anna, and his granddaughters to the Nutcracker Tea Party and performance. Kent enjoyed many trips with his granddaughters to the Kansas City Zoo, Deanna Rose Farmstead, and the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum among others.  

 When his first grandson was born in 2018, he was named Dylan Kent Schwieger- which Kent found very touching.  Christmas holidays were extra special for Kent with three grandbabies to hold, read to, and love. He enjoyed walking around the holiday displays at Union Station with his grandchildren, usually carrying one of them. Kent’s youngest grandson, Reed, was born in 2021.  Kent’s love for his grandchildren was evident by his radiant smile whenever his grandchildren were near.