Joan (Schwieder) Frazier

There were two things that Joan Schwieder Frazier cherished more than anything in this world her whole life through: her family and her memories of growing up in Steelville Missouri.

Joan was born in 1937 to Latham and Ruby Schwieder and spent her first years in a house located on what is now the Steelville community Hoppe Park land.  She loved to tell stories of their big garden by the spring and her daddy handing out fresh corn to all comers.  Later the family moved to the top of Robin Hill Drive in the house that overlooks Main Street and the old high school.  Growing up Joan loved her walking horse named Man and won numerous awards around the State in the “Ladies Open Show” class against grown women.  As a teen she taught dance to many Steelville girls who may remember her today.

After graduation from Steelville HS Joan next graduated from Drury College in Springfield, then moved to St. Louis to teach at Riverview High School until marriage swept her away to Springfield.  There she had a son, Anthony Frazier, and as all dutiful mothers will understand spent the next 18 years following his every move.  His own path led him to outside Columbia where he and his wife Jenny had two of their own children, Lily Latham and Lila Rose, twin girls.  Joan was beside herself and moved from Springfield to share in the joys that only innocent girlhood can bestow upon the world.  As would be expected, she regaled her granddaughters with tales of Steelville past: ice skating on the Glen Ellen pond (owned by the Jonas family, kin to the Schweder’s as all old families in small towns end up being kin); her giant Saint Bernard, the only one of its kind in those parts, terrorizing the neighborhood; the fun to be had after school on the way to the downtown drug store with their 5 cent fountain cokes; and visiting her Daddy and Uncle Ed at the family business, Schwieder Ford.    

Joan is survived by her son Anthony, his wife Jenny; her granddaughters Lila and Lily, her four beloved cousins born of Uncle Ed and Aunt Teresa, Sally (Schwieder) Starzyk, Kris (Schwieder) Mabie, Kem Schwieder and Mark Schwieder; and a step-daughter Dinah Jo (Frazier) Cabelka).  Her daily calls in her later years with Sally and Kris were life-sustaining.  She was preceded in death by her dear mother Ruby and father Latham, cousin Nancy (Schwieder) Baker, and by her comrade-in-arms Sandra (Schwieder) Hampe whom she cherished as a sister.

A Family graveside was held on Sunday, January 17, 2021 at the Steelville Cemetery. A eulogy was given by her son, Anthony, with a poem read by Sally (Schwieder) Starzyk. Other members of the family shared memories.

The Frazier Family was served by the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of Steelville, MO.

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