Henry C. Schwarz

Henry C. “Hank” Schwarz passed away in his home in Truckee on December 24, 2019. He was an exceptional husband, father of three, grandfather of six, and a friend to many. We will remember him as an upbeat and happy person whose character and integrity, wit and humor were ever present.

Hank was born in Colorado in 1929 and was fortunate to be raised by two sets of selfless grandparents after losing his mother and father early in his life. Hank graduated from Sequoia High School in Redwood City, California in 1947. He served in the Marine Corps in California as a radio operator from 1950 to 1952. After the Marines, he graduated from UC Berkeley with honors in 1954 with a BS degree in Forestry Engineering.

Hank loved working in the woods. He worked on a fire crew all over California at age 16. After college he cruised timber and surveyed the land as a licensed land surveyor and registered professional forester. Hank’s name is on many surveys throughout the Tahoe-Truckee area.

On a blind date in 1958 he met Gabriele “Gabi”, the love of his life and they married in Reno, Nevada. Together they raised their children starting in Hobart Mills and moving into a home he built in Truckee in 1964.

In 1972, when his employer, Fiberboard, purchased the property that is now Northstar, he found himself surveying roads, ski lifts, and building sites for the new resort. His intelligence and integrity helped him to become the General Manager of Northstar, where he would remain until his retirement in 1992. He loved the people he worked with and took the time to talk to and care about his fellow employees.

“We are spending our children’s inheritance” was the sticker he put on his old Land Cruiser when he retired. With Gabi by his side they saw many places around the world before settling back into their home in Truckee.

Hank was very active in the community; serving on the boards of TTUSD, the Truckee-Donner Park and Recreation district, and on the planning commission for the original Truckee Town Counsel, as well being a member of the Lions and Rotary Clubs.

His friendships were full of fun, family events, travel and mischief. During the snow droughts of the 1970’s, Northstar had just completed the first snowmaking system in the area and from the first batch of snow, Hank sent the mountain manager of Sugar Bowl, a close friend, a box of snowballs for Christmas as they did not yet have snowmaking.

Hank leaves a proud family; his wife Gabi, children Eric (Claudia), grandchildren Karl, Nick, Laura, and Joaquin; Christine (Jim); Steve (Wanda), grandchildren Jenifer and Jaimie. Hank’s family has a special thank you to Mala Rakeshni for her friendship, dedication and care during his final days.

Hank lived true to many of his words of wisdom “thinking of the next guy”. A wonderful man who will be deeply missed.

A get together to celebrate Hank’s life will be announced later.