Eugene Charles (Chip) Schram III died peacefully at his home on Friday, February 23, 2018.

The son of Eugene Charles Schram Jr. and Grace Carrington Schram, Chip was born on February 2, 1943, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

He grew up in Winter Park, Fla., where he attended Winter Park High School and graduated in the class of 1961. He was active in many extra-curricular activities, including Boy Scouts. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout, and he modeled his life on the scouting precepts of duty to God and country, service to others, and keeping physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Chip enlisted in the U. S. Air Force in 1961, and during his 30-year career he served at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, La.; Wake Island; Southeast Asia; MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.; Ent Air Force Base in Colorado Springs; Roswell International Airport in Roswell, N.M.; Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas; Air Forces Iceland in Keflavik, Iceland; Langley Air Force Base in Hampton; Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County; Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas; and Allied Forces South in Naples, Italy.

In 1971, he married Judy Griffin, and he earned a BS degree from the University of Tampa and later a Master of Public Administration degree from Texas Christian University. He attained the rank of major as a Security Forces officer, having commanded several units, the largest of which was 880 strong.

After Chip's retirement from the Air Force in 1991, he and Judy made their home in Lexington. They joined Grace Episcopal Church, and Chip began actively contributing to the community. He was a member of Lexington Sunrise Rotary; the Military Officers Association, also serving as vice president; Habitat for Humanity, also serving on the finance committee; the Fraternal Order of Police, Chapter 31; Lexington Police Foundation, also serving as board member; the Hospice Hustle Committee; and the U.S. Air Force Security Forces Association, Eagle Chapter.

He became more active in scouting, volunteering in many significant ways, including as district chairman for the Southern District, Stonewall Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). He was employed for several years by the BSA as the district executive for Bath, Allegany and Rockbridge County. He was inducted into the Vigil Honor Order of the Arrow, and he received the Silver Beaver Award in 2017.

Chip is survived by his wife of 46 years, Judy Griffin Schram; his two sons, Charles Michael Schram and wife, Brandy, of Coconut Creek, Fla., and Mark Peter Schram and wife, LeAnne of Dripping Springs, Texas; four grandchildren, Bethany and Kenyon Schram, and Lauren and Marshal Schram; sister, Gretchen Schram Beck and her husband, Jeff of Elgin, Illinois; nieces Carrington Abernathy and Whitney Beck; goddaughter, Cary Hastings and her brother, Lee Stuart Hastings; godson, Giles Cabe; and countless friends and acquaintances. It is true that Chip never met a stranger.

A memorial service in celebration of Chip's life will take place at Grace Episcopal Church at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 2, with a reception to follow in the parish hall. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Boy Scouts of America, Southern District, Stonewall Jackson Area Council, 801 Hopeman Parkway, Waynesboro, VA 22980 or Rockbridge Area Hospice, 315 Myers St., Lexington, VA 24450 or Grace Episcopal Church, 123 W. Washington St., Lexington, VA 24450.