David Wayne Schwab

David Wayne Schwab, 83, of Jackson, passed away Thursday, July 30, 2026, at Chateau Girardeau, a Cape Girardeau care facility.

He was born February 8, 1943, in Cape Girardeau County, the son of Otto and Elsie Schwab. He was a 1961 graduate of Jackson High School and served in the Army National Guard from 1963 to 1969.

David married Phyllis Froggatt on November 15, 1964. He was a lifelong farmer, working alongside his brother, Roger Schwab, raising corn, milo, wheat, soybeans and beef cattle. He and Phyllis also owned and operated the former Schwab’s Pines, a Christmas tree farm they built from the ground up.

David served the people of the 157th/158th District in the Missouri House of Representatives for 14 years, from 1988 to 2002, where he served on the Agriculture, Appropriations, Budget, Economic Development and Professional Registration, Elections, and Transportation committees. He was known as a principled voice for rural Missouri — a farmer first, more comfortable in his work than in the spotlight, and known more by his deeds than his words. He served on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Agriculture, the State Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Commission, and held numerous leadership roles within the Missouri Farm Bureau, including Cape County Farm Bureau board chairman and State Young Farmers Committee chairman. His honors included the Cape Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Farmer award, the University of Missouri Farm Management Award, the Soil Conservation Service Farmer of the Year award, and — together with Phyllis — the Cape County Farm Bureau’s first-ever “Friend of the Farmer” award given to a couple.

David was a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson, where his service spanned decades: congregation president, chairman of the board of elders, chairman of the Men’s Club, member of the school board, and for more than eleven years, a driver for the church’s shuttle van ministry. His favorite hymn was “Rock of Ages.”

David enjoyed hunting, reading, and being outdoors in his Ranger, but his favorite thing in the world was simply being with his family and spending time with his many friends.

David is survived by his wife of 61 years, Phyllis Schwab of Jackson; three children, Kevin (Gina) Schwab, Melissa (Jerome) Turner, and Christopher (Melissa) Schwab; seven grandchildren, Colton (Chelsea) Schwab, Easton Schwab, Braydon (Miranda) Schwab, Aaron Turner, Sydney Turner, Zach Schwab, and Zoey Schwab; four great-grandchildren, Owen and Lincoln Schwab, and Avery and Finley Schwab; his brother, Roger (Patricia) Schwab; and his sister, JoAnn (late Weldon) Hilpert.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Otto and Elsie Schwab.

Visitation will be from 1:30 to 5 p.m., Sunday, August 2, 2026, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Monday, August 3, 2026, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson.

The Rev. Joshua Schmidt will conduct the funeral service at 10:30 a.m., Monday, August 3, at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Interment is private at Russell Heights Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to St. Paul Lutheran Church or School.

Online condolences may be shared with the family by scrolling to the guestbook beneath David’s obituary article at mccombsfuneralhome.com.