Charles W. Schwartz

Charles W. Schwartz (June 2, 1914 – July 4, 1991) was an American wildlife artist, biologist, author, conservationist, and filmmaker known for his work on Missouri wildlife.

Early life and education

Schwartz was born in St. Louis to parents Frederick O. Schwartz and Clara Walsh Schwartz. He received his AB in Zoology from the University of Missouri in 1938. A graduate assistantship during his MA led Schwartz to work with Elizabeth Reeder, a Ph.D. candidate. They married in 1938 and later had three children. In 1940, Schwartz completed his MA and began work at the Missouri Conservation Commission as a biologist.

Another Schwartz collaboration, The Wild Mammals of Missouri, was co-published by the University of Missouri Press and the Missouri Department of Conservation. Containing over four hundred illustrations and information about sixty-six species, Wild Mammals proved to be one of their most important works. The American Association for Conservation Information selected it as the outstanding wildlife book in 1959 and revised editions were published in 1981 and 2001.

Schwartz retired in 1981. He remained active as an artist and outdoorsman. He died from pancreatic cancer at his home in Coeur d'Alene. A posthumous book, About Mammals and How They Live, was completed by Libby, published in 1993, and selected by the Wildlife Society for its 1994 Conservation Education Award.