Jan Schalavin

1938 - 2015

Long time Eagle River, Alaska, resident Jan Schalavin, 77, passed away peacefully at Providence Hospital on Nov. 27, 2015, in Anchorage, Alaska. Burial will be at Ft. Richardson National Cemetery on Feb. 19, 2016. A celebration of life will take place on Feb. 20, 2016, at 2 p.m. at the Eagle River VFW Post 9785. CSM Schalavin was born in Varalja, Hungary, on Feb. 20, 1938, to Joseph Schalavin and Katarina Tollaczi, of Hungary, both deceased. He left Hungary and settled in Lititz, Penn., where he became a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan. He enlisted in the Army on April 13, 1959. After basic training he was assigned to the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Ft. Campbell, Ky. Through the the years, he advanced to Platoon sergeant in the 101st Airborne Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade as well as the 1-36th Infantry and 3rd Armor Division. Jan was an Army Ranger. He served as an instructor in the Ranger School, as well as being the first ever First Sergeant for Company C, 2nd Ranger Battalion. He was graduate of the Sergeants Major Academy, class #4 in 1978. He served a Sergeant Major of the the ROTC Program at Southwest Missouri State College, Command Sergeant Major of the 1st Ranger Battalion from May 1979 thru April 1982; and Command Sergeant Major of the 173rd light Infantry Brigade(sep) from April 1982 thru January 1985. After that, he served as the Command Sergeant Major of the Infantry School in Ft. Bennington, Ga. He was then assigned to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii as the Command Sergeant Major of the of the 25th Infantry Division. Ranger Schalavin served a tour in Korea, two tours in Germany and three tours in Vietnam. He was on the ground at Desert One in Iran 1980. His awards include the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars for Valor and one for Meritorious service, the Purple Heart with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm and the Meritorious Service Metal with five Oak Leaf Clusters. He was authorized to wear the Combat Infantry badge, the Ranger Tab, the Master Parachute badge and the Expert Infantry badge. CSM Schalavin retired in 1993, after serving his country proudly for 35 years. He was a member of VFW Post 9785 in Eagle River. Jan was an educated man,having earned two bachelors degrees from the University of Alaska-Anchorage after he retired. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. Some of his fondest memories were of a hunt on Kodiak Island where he bagged a huge Alaska Brown bear and his hunting trips to Nebraska for buffalo and pheasant with his friends. He was genuinely at peace at his cabin and fish-wheel on the Copper River in Glennallen, Alaska, where all his friends from the VFW would come to visit and fish. His smoked salmon was some of the best. If he wasn't hunting or fishing, you could find him cooking or telling war story or two at the VFW over a rum and coke. He was a very funny man with a wonderful sense of humor. People were just drawn to him. He loved taking his grandkids to the VFW for Sunday brunch. Jan was a kind and generous man and gracious host. He was the epitome of being a Ranger, and the consummate soldier and NCO. As a senior NCO, he "took care of his boys." He was a father, grandfather, leader, mentor and the best kind of friend a person could ever have. He touched so many people's lives all over the country. He will forever remain in our hearts. He is survived by his daughter, Brooke Schalavin; and grandkids, Beau Janos and Chloe-Anne Schalavin-Romero of Eagle River. His dog, BO, will be waiting for him to throw the ball. He truly was a "one of a kind" man and will be sorely missed. Rest in Peace, Jan ... RANGERS LEAD THE WAY.