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Landon K. Schweer, Lanny, to friends and family, passed away at home after a brief illness on November 8, 2004. Lanny was born in Elsie, Nebraska on October 8, 1931. He moved to Westminster with his family when he was 4 and graduated from Westminster High School in 1951. Lanny served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1955, attaining the rank of Staff Sgt. He spent his years in the service in France and Germany where he learned to ski. In 1959, Lanny began working on the Roberts Tunnel Project, moved to Fairplay and never left. During his early years in Fairplay, he worked as a Park County Deputy Sheriff and Fairplay Town Marshal, in addition to the Colorado Mounted Patrol and the Geneva Basin Ski Patrol. Lanny was active with Search and Rescue and ran on the South Park Ambulance for more than 20 years. |
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Over the last 40 years, Lanny worked as a surveyor and platted out many of the subdivisions in South Park, leaving his mark with imaginative road names. In 1972, he designed and built his pride and joy, the Indian Mountain Ski Area. After marrying the love of his life, Carmela, they bought a gas station, "Lanny's Texaco", at the corner of Costello and Hwy 285. After 13 years of cold nights spent in the tow truck they sold the station and he went to work "over the hill" for Stan Miller Excavating. Lanny didn't believe in retirement. Any job that Lanny loved included helping those in need. Lanny is survived by his wife, Carmela; sisters Catherine (Schweer) Oswald and Gail (Schweer) Goodman. Eight children; Kelli Jo (Schweer) Kipp, Christina (Schweer) Herndon, Todd Schweer, Eric Schweer, Scott Avery, Rush Avery, Holly (Avery) Wyatt, and Kevin Avery. Lanny and Carmela have 15 grandchildren and 3 ½ great grandchildren. A celebration of Lanny's life will be held Saturday, November 13th at 11:00 a.m. at the South Park High School. A gathering of friends and family will follow at the Schweer House, 808 Main Street. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to the Park County Search and Rescue, P.O. Box 721, Fairplay, CO 80440, in his honor. Dress for the celebration will be blue jeans. Lanny was married in them and wanted to be buried in them. | |