John Harrison Schweitzer

May 10, 1947 - September 29, 2020 John Harrison Schweitzer of Long Beach, CA passed away on September 29, 2020. Surrounded by his family in his home, John left countless relatives after a recent diagnosis of cancer. Born on May 10, 1947 in Kansas City to parents Annabell Baugh (Choctaw, Oklahoma) and Charles Schweitzer (Springfield, Missouri), John was the middle child of three when his parents moved to California, in 1951. Here he became a big brother to two more siblings from his mother's second marriage. John graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1965. After, he served 14 months in Vietnam and upon returning home to Long Beach, John worked at General Motors while earning an AA from Cerritos College. Later he transferred to Cal State University, Long Beach, and earned a BA in Business Finance and Economics. John achieved a fulfilling career that lasted 32 years at the Naval Weapons Station Base in Seal Beach, CA, where he mentored and defended many in the face of lay-offs over the years. He retired with his colleagues' highest respect. A huge Dodgers fan and overall MLB expert, John had a gift for remembering player stats and for quite some time, served as an umpire for local leagues in the community. A phenomenal athlete in his time and an all-around sports fan, John was also brilliant when it came to history, an avid reader who inspired his nieces and nephews (and their children) to get educated, work hard, and live ethically. He influenced many of his siblings' children more like a mentor or parent than merely an uncle, and many of them attribute their responsible finance habits and life improvements to John and his solid advice. John's nickname in the family is "Big J," due to having nephews and their own sons who carry his family name. Big J was great at remembering his nieces' and nephews' birthdays and at Christmas, he wrote them custom cards, complete with poems or Scripture specific to their life situation. John Schweitzer is survived by many who love him. His siblings, from oldest to youngest are Charlotte Ann Schweitzer (who passed in 2015), Wendy and Brother-in-Law Ronald Hernandez, Daniel Tyler, and Robert Tyler. For many close to Big J, they've lost a rock, a vital family figure whose guidance and knowledge about so much brought love, loyalty, and stability into their lives. LA Cremation (310)792-7585