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Christopher Schafer
CHRISTOPHER'S OBITUARY
U.S. Veteran
Christopher Lavern Schafer, 56, was born December 9, 1964, to the late Alfred John and Mary (Holroyd) Schafer in Harbor City, California. He attended St. Catherine Laboure Catholic School through 8th grade and graduated from Torrance North High School in 1983, after which he joined the United States Navy in 1984. While in the Navy, he was stationed at Miramar Naval Air Station near San Diego. He worked as an aircraft mechanic on the E-2C Hawkeye and was also assigned to the USS Constellation, USN carrier, on which he spent a total of 1 year, 4 months, and 11 days on different tours. Long distance love was on the horizon, as in the summer of 1985 on a WESTPAC tour he developed a pen pal in one Mary Agnes Fritton. Just one meeting in person was all it took for them to know the love was real; Chris would often say that it was her letters that he fell in love with, but it was the respect she showed to his parents, and their immediate love for her, that made him realize he would be spending the rest of his life with her. Chris proposed to Mary Agnes in December of 1985, and they were united in marriage on Valentine’s Day of 1987 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Albion, Nebraska. They initially settled in Poway, California, where Chris continued his service, being assigned to Miramar, then later North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego. Chris was honorably discharged from the Navy in January of 1991 following nearly seven years of service. With the help of his oldest brother, John, Chris and Mary Agnes embarked on a new journey traveling across the country into the unknown of Georgia with a singular opportunity from Delta Airlines. He began his work at Delta on January 21, 1991, working as an aircraft mechanic and welder during his 30-year career. Chris and Mary Agnes remained happily married for 34 years, in sickness and in health, ‘til death did they part.
The product of their love was ultimately the greatest joy in his life, their two children. Alex Christopher was born in 1988 in Poway, California, a precocious ball of energy, hungry to learn as much as possible like his father before him. Sara Anastasia was born in 1992 in Riverdale, Georgia, her rapturous laughter and infectious infant smile lighting up their home and their lives in equal measure. In his children Chris instilled a fierce sense of loyalty and honesty by living these virtues and modeling them every day. Whether it was acting as an assistant coach, his involvement with Boy and Girl Scouts, supporting the multitude of extracurriculars they participated in, or anything in between, there was no sacrifice too great for him to make for the sake of his children. His passion for fatherhood extended beyond his own children, as he was a father figure to many of their friends, the children of his own closest friends, and his nieces and nephews. He proudly attended the college graduations of both of his children and continued to support them through each and every journey they faced into adulthood. A more devoted father there was not.
Chris Schafer grew up in California, but he died a true Georgian, escaping the city he had outgrown into the quiet wilderness he loved. He presented as a burly mountain man type, unapproachable and stoic, but his appearance belied his true inner warmth. He was regarded as the “moral compass” of Department 390 at Delta, a social butterfly who never met a stranger he couldn’t befriend. His irresistible charisma painted an invisible tattoo on his forehead that read “Tell Me Your Life Story,” and people were all too happy to oblige. This personability helped him to great effect with his greatest passion, the American Warrior Garage. Affectionately known as “The Ambassador” he generated immense attention and interest in the garage, and in his final years he was never happier than he was after spending a day at the garage working with his favorite people to help, United States Veterans.
Chris is survived by his wife Mary Agnes (Fritton), son Alex, daughter Sara, sister Teresa (Bill), sisters-in-law Barb (Mike) Romberg, Margaret (Jim) Martinosky, Theresa (Terry) Fichtner, Cecilia (Fred) Smiley, Veronica (Mike) Trimble, and Anastasia (Joel) Travis, brothers-in-law Mike (Tammy) Fritton, John (Angie) Fritton, Bill Fritton, and Pete (Teresa) Fritton, aunt Loretta Nelson, uncles Jim Schafer, Leroy Schafer, and J. Paul Fritton, and numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.
Chris was preceded in death by his parents Alfred and Mary Schafer, in-laws George and Ellen Fritton, brothers, John, Stephen, and David, sister Mary Lisa, sister-in-law Debbie, brother-in-law Joe Krohn, nephews Mark Schafer and Brett Romberg, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the American Warrior Garage at americanwarriorgarage.org RIP Sailor |
Date(s): July 24, 2021. Album by jerry cole. Photos by Jay. 1 - 20 of 141 Total. 214 Visits. |
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