Simon schwindt
January 4, 1972 – September 15, 2021
Spanish Fort, Alabama – Simon Schwindt, born January 4, 1972 in Bradford, England, joined Heavenly Father on the morning of September 15, 2021. He is survived by his devoted wife, Julie, his even more devoted Labrador, Maya , parents Rita Schwindt and Albert “Adam” Schwindt (Fatima), one brother, Conrad Schwindt (Karen), sisters Sharon Dalby, Susan Schwindt (Varnado) and Denise Stokes (Kevin). In addition, he is survived and loved by several beloved cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Simon was born and spent his early years in Bradford, England. As a young boy, he immigrated to Cape Town, South Africa, with his parents and Conrad, where he remained until early adulthood. While in Cape Town, Simon excelled in his studies, learned to speak Afrikaans fluently, was a proud Boy Scout and developed a love for motorcycles, sailing and golf. At the age of 18, he was drafted into the South African National Defense to be a member of the fire brigade. Upon graduation, he spent thirty years in the nuclear power industry, both in South Africa and the United States, holding a number of positions including that of Principal Reactor Operator and, more recently, responsible for training.
Simon immigrated to the United States of America in 2006 where he began his post-secondary education while working full time as an instructor in the nuclear energy industry. It was then that he fell in love with the science of learning and developed a real talent for helping others not only to enjoy learning, but to be successful by putting their newly acquired knowledge into practice. He excelled in his studies, as well as in his career, gaining numerous promotions along the way.
Simon was a natural when it came to helping others learn. Upon completion of his bachelor’s degree, he attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he earned a master’s degree in training and development. At his death, he was enrolled at Florida State University where he was due to graduate in May 2022 with his doctorate in teaching systems and learning technologies. These degrees confirmed his natural talent for being able to inspire and lead others, and sharpened his level of expertise in training and development.
A few years after arriving in the United States, Simon met Julie at a Starbucks in Cary, North Carolina, and an indestructible bond quickly formed. They quickly fell in love and got married on January 1, 2013. During their time together, they traveled extensively in the United States and on three continents. Even COVID couldn’t slow down their adventures! Simon made a point of teaching Julie to play golf during the extended confinements. He was successful and as a result they spent many hours playing golf and just enjoying each other’s company in the great outdoors under beautiful skies. Teaching a stubborn woman to play golf can be a challenge, but because he was her soul mate, the marriage survived!
Speaking of golf, Simon loved the game! He has played some of the most beautiful courses in the United States, as well as the world with his dear friends Steve and Artie. He also enjoyed South African Springbok Rugby, college football, MotoGP and Formula 1 racing.
Simon had a strong desire to help others learn and succeed. All it took was a simple thank you from someone for setting it on fire to find a way to teach thought-provoking information in a way that brings success to everyone involved. . It was his passion to help others reach their full potential and he achieved it to the best of his ability and at the highest level.
Simon loved America and was so proud to become an American citizen in October 2018. It was not uncommon to see him proudly wearing an item of clothing, hat, sock, shoes or all of the above all at the same time!
Simon dearly loved Julie, his wife for almost nine years, and she loved her with all her heart. His heart was as tender as it could be and with him he loved his family, his friends and Our Lord and Savior. As Simon rests in Heavenly Father’s arms, please take a moment to remember his smile, his beautiful dimple, and his beautiful blue eyes that lit up whenever he greeted a friend. Our world suffered great loss when Heaven won a precious soul.
The family will receive the friends at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 25, 2021, at First Baptist Church, Fairhope. The funeral will follow at 9:00 a.m.

Published by The News & Observer on September 22, 2021.