Even champion Bernborough settled for Jim
Breaking in horses and fixing up cars
JAMES Robert Schwerin was born on July 9, 1925, at Peranga, the son of Franz and Amelia Schwerin, the youngest of six brothers and five sisters.
Young James was raised on a small property half-way between Narko and Peranga.
He attended Narko Primary State School until completing Grade 7 before staying with his aunty in Toowoomba and attending Harristown School for Grade 8 for three months.
He returned home to help on the farm, sometimes breaking in horses.
At the age of 17, James broke in a horse named Bernborough which was to become the Darling Downs’ most famous race horse.
When he turned 18, James got his first job fencing for the railway on the Cooyar line.
The next year, at age 19, he met Beryl Mears at the Kulpi country dance and after a twoand-a-half year courtship, the couple married on August 30, 1947.
James and Beryl lived and worked on various properties in and around Nutgrove, Yarraman and Evergreen.
They went on to have five children — Albert, Annette, Coral, Wayne, and Ronald — before moving to Toowoomba in January 1966 after which the two youngest children, Yvonne and Douglas, were born.
Mr Schwerin’s first job after moving to Toowoomba was at the brickworks at Kleinton before moving onto the council at Pittsworth working on the main roads.
He left the council when a job came up at the sawmill at Harlaxton (where Weis Icecream Factory now stands).
When a more permanent job was offered at the Toowoomba Foundry, Mr Schwerin accepted it and stayed there for 10 years.
‘‘ HE WOULD HAVE A GO AT REPAIRING ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING BUT HIS MAIN PASSION WAS WORKING ON CARS.
He left the Foundry after an accident which forced him into early retirement.
However, Mr Schwerin continued to do volunteer work for the Carnival of Flowers in Toowoomba and cleaned Housing Commission Homes.
His favourite past times were fishing, gardening and being with family.
He had a great love of animals, having some very faithful dogs over the years.
He also bred white doves, pigeons and various other birds.
His handyman skills were exceptional and mainly self taught, he would have a go at repairing anything and everything but his main passion was working on cars.
In Harlaxton, where he was often referred to as Jim or “Pop”, he was always fixing cars for other people — mechanically, panel beating, spray painting — nothing was too hard for Mr Schwerin.
His door was always open to anyone who needed help and he was loved and respected by many.
James and Beryl’s seven children went onto produce for them 22 grandchildren, 62 great-grandchildren and, to date, six great-great-grandchildren.
The couple, who spent 52 years together in their home at 13 Coonan St, Harlaxton, celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last year and had almost made their 71st anniversary before Mr Schwerin’s death on July 23 at the age of 93.
Mr Schwerin is survived by his wife Beryl, 90, his seven children and their extended families.
His funeral was attended by more than 200 people at Burstows Funeral Home on August 3 before he was laid to rest at the Garden of Remembrance in a plot he and Beryl had bought many years ago.