William P. Schwan, 71
William P. Schwan, 71, a previous resident of Ashland, OH, passed away August 21, 2024 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, from injuries sustained in a traffic accident near Nashville.
William was born May 29, 1953, in Ashland, to the late DeEstraye and Hildreth (Stauffer) Schwan. He was a 1971 graduate of Mapleton High School who later furthered his education at Ashland Theological Seminary, where he received two M.Div. degrees.
At the time of his passing, William was employed as an over-the-road truck driver for Brite Transportation, based in Chicago, IL, driving primarily in Tennessee and surrounding states. Just days before the tragic accident that would lead to his passing, he authored the last two pages of what he would consider his life’s work: three self-published books, religious in nature, copies of which he had been known to give out to friends and family.
Always looking ahead to the next phase, William was fiercely independent and readily embraced change. He found himself at various points involved with East and Southeast Asian communities, ranging from mission-trip contacts in Mongolia to Thai ESL students at Ashland University, culminating in his on-and-off residing and teaching English on the island of Java, Indonesia later in life—communities with whom he often went by his middle name, Paul, and sometimes an anglicized surname, Swan, believing it to be easier to pronounce. While living in Indonesia, he remarried to a woman named Nanik.
He is survived by his two daughters, Charissa McComas of Apex, NC and Kristina Loesch of Little Rock, AR; son Matthew Schwan of Orrville, OH; two grandchildren, Kiersten and Kayla; and brother James Schwan of Shelby, OH.
For several years of his time living in Ohio, William attended and was a member of the Mansfield Open Bible Church.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 7, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in the Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home with Trudy Bates officiating.
Family and friends may visit Saturday before the service from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will follow the service at the Nankin Cemetery.
For those who will not be able to attend, please visit the funeral home’s website at denbowfh.com to express your condolences.
Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to serve the family of William Schwan.
Funeral Home: Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home & Crematory
Website: denbowfh.com