Christian Schweizer, III, age 79, of Melbourne, FL (originally from Philadelphia), answered his last alarm on July 15, 2023.

Chris was born on December 6, 1943 to Christian and Katherine Schweizer of Philadelphia. After graduating Abraham Lincoln High School in 1961 where he participated in baseball, football and chasing girls, he tried his luck in the area of high finance.  Knowing that wasn't his passion, he entered the Philadelphia Fire Department on January 9, 1967, finding his niche in life.  Working his way through the ranks, he eventually retired as Deputy Fire Commissioner of Operations in 1992.

But he didn't stop there.  He started his own handyman business and eventually went back into the banking business.

As sports was his greatest past time, he was President of the Mayfair Shamrocks Athletic Association for 9 years, also coaching his daughters and son's baseball, softball, soccer and basketball teams. Not only did he teach athletic skills, but he also taught life skills that many young athletes have not forgotten. If Philadelphia had a sports team, you can best be assured Chris was rooting them on, for better or worse.  And on November 1, 2022, he had the amazing opportunity to attend Game 3 of the World Series which the Phillies won 7-0, making it one of the greatest things he's ever done.

Speaking of one the greatest things he's ever done, Chris met the love of his life, Joy, in high school at the tender age of 16 in 1960 where it was a love/hate relationship and love overcame.  They dated for 5 years, marrying January 9, 1965. From that love, 3 children were born, Melissa (Stephen), Tom (Cindy) and Scott (Shannon). And from that love, 7 grandchildren, Zac (Brianna), Alyssa (Kirk), Stephen (Arianna), Dante, Damian, Callie and Max and 5 great-grandchildren, Aubrey, Ellie, Kennedy, Talia and Liam were born.

And if that wasn't enough, his Florida retirement did not slow him down.  Chris enjoyed playing golf, traveling to faraway places, having a cocktail or two and hanging out at the Cove Inlet.

Chris loved music, musicals, live entertainment and dancing.  If you were lucky enough to have a dance with him, regardless of the song, he insisted he knew the words and sang whatever came to his head…and was pretty good with making it up.

A devoted family member, Chris will be missed by his sister, Kathy (Rich) and many nieces, nephews and cousins. And as he touched so many throughout his life, he will be mourned by many friends and colleagues.

We say he lived a life that was full - he loved, laughed, and cried; he had his fill, his share of losing and record shows he took the blows but did it his way.

A visitation will be held at Beverly Methodist Church, 133 Warren Street, Beverly, NJ 08010 on July 29, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. with a celebration of his life at 11:00 a.m.  In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to the Hero Scholarship Fund of Philadelphia, P.O. Box 282, Conshohocken, PA 19428.