He was born July 19, 1929, in Woodcock Township, Pennsylvania. His parents were Alice (Miller), and John Schutz.
Albert was a proud Marine. He enlisted at 17 in 1946, served in Korea and Vietnam. In Korea, he was one of the Marines and other military forces engaged in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. These veterans are known as " The Chosin Few".
In January 1968 he married the former Mary Jo Cribbs Andrews, who survives him.
After retiring from the USMC in 1975, he worked for the Civil Service at Camp Pendleton and San Clemente Island until 1991.
From that time on, until he became ill, he enjoyed attending military reunions throughout the United States, seeing Marine Corps "buddies" and making new friends.
In addition to his wife, Mary Jo, he is survived by his sons, William Andrews and David Andrews, Oceanside California, and his sister, Mary Sample, and his brother, William Schutz, Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Albert was a loving husband, a wonderful father, and a genuine friend. He was a unique man and will be missed by all who loved him.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to The Chosin Few, MAJGEN Raymond Murray Chapter Oceanside, California. Chosin Few Headquarters, 238 Cornwall Circle, Chalfont, Pennsylvania 18914-2318.
Viewing 4-8 p.m. - Monday, December 14, 2015
Eternal Hills Mortuary, 1999 El Camino Real, Oceanside California 92054
Memorial Services and Reception 10 a.m. - Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Eternal Hills Mortuary, 1999 El Camino Real, Oceanside California 92054
Albert's favorite songs:
"The Marine Corps Hymn"
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
of United States Marine.
Our flag's unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in ev'ry clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job--
The United States Marines.
Here's health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve
In many a strife we've fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven's scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
"When The Saints Go Marching In"
We are traveling in the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
But we'll all be reunited (but if we stand reunited)
On a new and sunlit shore (then a new world is in store)
Oh when the Saints go marching in
When the Saints go marching in
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
And when the sun refuses to shine
And when the sun refuses to shine
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the moon turns red with blood
When the moon turns red with blood
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
On that hallelujah day
On that hallelujah day
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
O when the trumpet sounds the call
O when the trumpet sounds the call
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed
When the revelation comes
When the revelation comes
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the rich go out and work
When the rich go out and work
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the air is pure and clean
When the air is pure and clean
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When we all have food to eat
When we all have food to eat
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When our leaders learn to cry
When our leaders learn to cry
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
"You Belong To Me"
See the pyramids along the Nile
Watch the sun rise on a tropic isle
But just remember, darling, all the while
You belong to me
See the marketplace in old Algiers
Send me photographs and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me
I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too and blue
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me
I'll be so alone and without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too and blue
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
But remember, darling, till you're home again
That you belong to me
"My Way"
And now, the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way
I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh, no, oh, no, not me, I did it my way
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows and did it my way
Yes, it was my way.
"El Paso"
Out in the West Texas town of El Paso
I fell in love with a Mexican girl
Night-time would find me in Rosa's cantina
Music would play and Felina would whirl
Blacker than night were the eyes of Felina
Wicked and evil while casting a spell
My love was deep for this Mexican maiden
I was in love but in vain, I could tell
One night a wild young cowboy came in
Wild as the West Texas wind
Dashing and daring
A drink he was sharing
With wicked Felina
The girl that I loved
So in anger I
Challenged his right for the love of this maiden
Down went his hand for the gun that he wore
My challenge was answered in less than a heart-beat
The handsome young stranger lay dead on the floor
Just for a moment I stood there in silence
Shocked by the foul evil deed I had done
Many thoughts raced through my mind as I stood there
I had but one chance and that was to run
Out through the back door of Rosa's I ran
Out where the horses were tied
I caught a good one
It looked like it could run
Up on its back
And away I did ride
Just as fast as I
Could from the West Texas town of El Paso
Out to the bad-lands of New Mexico
Back in El Paso my life would be worthless
Everything's gone in life nothing is left
It's been so long since I've seen the young maiden
My love is stronger than my fear of death
I saddled up and away I did go
Riding alone in the dark
Maybe tomorrow
A bullet may find me
Tonight nothing's worse than this
Pain in my heart
And at last here I
Am on the hill overlooking El Paso
I can see Rosa's cantina below
My love is strong and it pushes me onward
Down off the hill to Felina I go
Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys
Off to my left ride a dozen or more
Shouting and shooting I can't let them catch me
I have to make it to Rosa's back door
Something is dreadfully wrong for I feel
A deep burning pain in my side
Though I am trying
To stay in the saddle
I'm getting weary
Unable to ride
But my love for
Felina is strong and I rise where I've fallen
Though I am weary I can't stop to rest
I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle
I feel the bullet go deep in my chest
From out of nowhere Felina has found me
Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my side
Cradled by two loving arms that I'll die for
One little kiss and Felina, good-bye
"Big Bad John"
Every mornin' at the mine you could see him arrive
He stood six foot six and weighed two forty five
Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip
And everybody knew ya didn't give no lip to big John
(Big John, big John) big bad John (big John)
Nobody seemed to know where John called home
He just drifted into town and stayed all alone
He didn't say much, kinda quiet and shy
And if you spoke at all, you just said hi to Big John
Somebody said he came from New Orleans
Where he got in a fight over a Cajun Queen
And a crashin' blow from a huge right hand
Sent a Louisiana fellow to the promised land, big John
(Big John, big John) big bad John (big John)
Then came the day at the bottom of the mine
When a timber cracked and men started cryin'
Miners were prayin' and hearts beat fast
And everybody thought that they'd breathed their last, 'cept John
Through the dust and the smoke of this man-made hell
Walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well
Grabbed a saggin' timber, gave out with a groan
And like a giant oak tree he just stood there alone, big John
(Big John, big John) big bad John (big John)
And with all of his strength he gave a mighty shove
Then a miner yelled out, there's a light up above
And twenty men scrambled from a would-be grave
Now there's only one left down there to save, big John
With jacks and timbers they started back down
Then came that rumble way down in the ground
And then smoke and gas belched out of that mine
Everybody knew it was the end of the line for big John
(Big John, big John) big bad John (big John)
Now they never reopened that worthless pit
They just placed a marble stand in front of it
These few words are written on that stand
At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man, big John
(Big John, big John) big bad John (big John)
(Big John, big John) big bad John (big John)
"Amazing Grace"
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
A Letter From Your Son:
January 10, 1968 changed our family’s life forever. Albert James Schutz married Mary Jo Cribbs Andrews and William Paul and David Curtis Andrews got a father. We all became a family. Al bought us shoes, clothes, bicycles, shoe shine kits, and fishing rods. He gave mom, Willie, and me things and security that he didn’t have much of growing up. Al made sure that we had a roof over our heads along with plenty of food and clothing. He taught Willie and me how to take care of a yard and he got us saving money that we earned from our paper route. He was a proud 29 year career United States Marine. He made Willie and me into the men that we are today. Al was a man’s man and a marine’s marine. He continued to work for civil service at San Clemente Island and Camp Pendleton after he retired from the United States Marine Corps. He told mom that he thought it would be better for her to stay home with Willie and me instead of her working a job. Al made all of our lives better and Al and mom made our family. Al liked working in the yard and the garage. He liked fishing, the shooting range, and traveling. He loved Mary Jo, Willie, and me. Al was a great friend to people. He was a honest and a stand-up man. He protected mom, Willie, and me. He always wanted Willie and me to do the best that we could do in school. Al got our family out of Western Pennsylvania to Southern California for a better life for all of us and much more opportunities for everybody. Al was a great father and I miss him every day of my life. I am so proud to be his son, I always think about Al and I know that he is in heaven resting in peace.
Love, your son, David Curtis Andrews
“Us Civilians” as we were called if we were non-military, will hopefully never know the horrors of war because of men like Al, my father, Steve’s step-father, my brother-in-law Geno and all those that answered the call of their country.
They were all willing to go to fight and even die for us.
Men & women that have seen war, have one thing in common, they were humbled by it, not wanting to brag or most of the time not wanting to even talk about it.
As Al said in an interview “I wasn’t no hero and I didn’t do anything special, except survive. There’s a lot of guys that did that.”
But just trying to survive meant having to do whatever had to be done to achieve that goal.
Things that we probably can’t imagine. And to me even if we won or lost the battles, they were all heroes and with some paying the ultimate cost for our freedom.
To the Marines here today, young and old, I thank you. Know that you are carrying on a tradition that will allow Al’s memory to live on.
Once a Marine—Always a Marine and when this was applied to Al, no words were ever truer.
But there are other words that could also be used to describe Al and all other Marines; Love, Commitment, Integrity, Bravery, Pride, Honor and Dedication.
It takes a very special person to live their life by these words, but, an even more special person to put them into action.
And that would be Al.
Al was born on July 19, 1929 in Woodcock Township, Pennsylvania.
In 1946 Al left high school at 17 yrs. old to join the Marines. He came home from Paris Island where he was in boot camp, to see his mother.
During that leave he met MaryJo at a dance in Crawford County. She was 15 yrs. old and I heard his pick-up line was “How would you like to dance with a Marine?”
They would see each other from time to time and Al would bring her candy. He even sent her a jar of honey with a bee in it.
In 1950, Al was a 21 year old corporal and was in Korea, along with 12,000 other Marines which was part of an Allied Force of 25,000 soldiers. They were all in one of the worst battles in American History, The Chosin Reservoir in North Korea.
During later November & early December in freezing temperatures & low supplies, the allies engaged an enemy force of Chinese & North Korean’s numbering more than 120,000, virtually surrounding the allied troops.
For 13 days and 78 miles they fought from the Chosin Reservoir to the Sea of Japan, losing more than half of the allied force, but making the enemy pay dearly for their victory.
It was now 1951 during this march out that Al became a celebrity, getting his picture along with another Marine on the cover of Life magazine.
This Photo became a highly publicized depiction of the frustration of the Korean War.
Al stayed on active duty in the Corps until 1957 & was in the reserves until he went back to active duty in 1965, serving in a tank battalion during the Vietnam War.
MaryJo did get married before Al and she had 2 boys, Bill & David, but marriage had its shortfalls and she was divorced.
In 1967, Al was on leave from Vietnam when he visited MaryJo and Love conquered all. They were married on January 10, 1968 in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Now, Al was a Marine, a husband and a father. Al accepted & loved Bill age 13 and David age 10, as his own.
They moved to Oceanside CA in 1969 and lived on the strand until they could get base housing in Wire Mountain homes on Camp Pendleton.
David told me that when they lived in Wire Mountain they would mow & edge the yard and when they were done, Al said “you did a man’s job, so have a beer!”
Al spent the rest of time in the Marines as a Drill Sargent, keeping the new guys in line. Bill told me he didn’t have to join the service, he was raised in boot camp. Al had a soft spot, he, along with his company commander, coordinated “Toys for Tots.”
Then retiring in 1975 as Gunnery Sargent. After Al retired, he worked for Civil Service and Convaire. In 1976 Al & MaryJo bought a house in Oceanside, where they’ve lived since. If you couldn’t tell by their front yard, ROSEs were his favorite flower. Al’s favorite color is blue, as were his eyes. He loved to bake bread & make chili that was so hot, that only the brave with cast iron stomachs could eat. Even brining this comment from his Mexican friend “Zip” Zepeda; “How could a German make chili so hot that a Mexican can’t eat it?” Al liked to drink Arragont Bastard Ale, he loved sweet tangerines.
Al loved animals, as long as they were someone else’s.
He loved Bill’s dog Razor, when Bill brought Razor over to Al & MaryJo’s, the first thing razor would do is hunt Al down and if he was in his chair, Razor would lay at Al’s feet.
Some of my favorite times with Al, was when I would go cut his hair and give him a shave. Al said I did it right because it was “high & tight.” Al really loved to be pampered—we called them his Spa Day’s, including manicure & pedicure.
Christmas Eve with Al & Mary Jo became a tradition back in the late 1990’s with Costco Pizza, MJ Cole Slaw, Pumpkin Pie with lots of whip cream and we won’t forget the drunken Fruit Cake that Al would soak in Brandy for a couple of months and the best coffee in the West.
Al & MaryJo are very special friends, they always made Steve & I feel as part of their family and in turn, they are a big part of ours.
They would come to our yearly Halloween potluck Party’s and yes, of course, Al would bring his Damn Hot Chili. They loved coming to our Labor Day Family Rib Feast for Steve’s famous smoked ribs.
Al never left home without his red Marine cap.
Some of Al’s favorite movies were Sand Pebbles, True grit, Green Berets, South Pacific, Hell to Eternity, the 1st star Wars, all westerns and war movies. He liked John Wayne & Clint Eastwood.
He loved to listen to Burl Ives.
David said Al told him he considered Doris Day a life time virgin.
When Al was in the Marines, he played football for his company team. He played softball, coached softball and was a softball umpire. Al was on the Marine Corps Rifle Team, he said he wasn’t that good, but to be on that team, out of all the men they could choose from, it sounds like he was good enough.
At a party at Al & MaryJo’s, one of his Marine friends said that Al could tear down and re-assemble a .45 pistol faster than anyone he knew in the Marines.
Al liked to go fishing, hunting and was a member of the Lake Wohlford Shooting Club.
I want to make this clear, Al’s last name was pronounced shoots, SCHUTZ. Some people tried to call him SCHULTZ with an L and he’d say “take that L out or I’ll kick the L out of you!” Because that’s the way he was.
Al wanted you to think he was mean, nasty & gruff. Rarely smiled in pictures, always looked like Mr. Grumpy, so I nicked named him “Sunshine” just to get a raised brow or a grin and that’s when he called me “his one & only little smart-ass.”
Al was willing to give advice or lend an ear, something I will always hold dear.
Al, you were also a very funny & wise man and I will miss you so very much.
SEMPER-FI Sunshine!
Sue Satterlee
Steve and I bought the house across the street from Al and May Jo in 1992, and met them immediately after moving in. At the time, our livelihoods were still in Los Angeles, and we only spent time in Oceanside on weekends, or during any vacation time from work. Al became our unofficial neighborhood watchman almost from the beginning. And he seemed happy to be in charge of keeping an eye on our place in our absence.
We sometimes would arrive in the afternoon on Friday to find him walking around our property, just to check things out. We always felt a level of security from his presence in our neighborhood and his willingness to do a kind deed. Not to say he didn’t say what he wanted, in his gruff way of joking around with everyone.
We knew his way of teasing was just his way, and there was nothing more to do about it, but join in with the back and forth jabs he enjoyed…always ending with a final kind word or two from him before returning to our respective homes.
When our first child came along a couple years later, we got to see the softer side of Al when he took the opportunity to come say hello whenever he saw us weeding in our front yard (which we often did) while Drew played in the dirt.
I took these photos in Al and Mary Jo’s backyard when they had us come see their cat and her litter of kittens, when Drew was about one. Too bad I didn’t take one with Al holding Drew as well, which he loved to do. And Drew loved Al too, always calling out to him whenever he saw him outside. As loud as he could, Drew would yell, “OWL!!!” (Yes, Drew thought his name was Owl and it took a few years to get him to say his name correctly.)
Al enjoyed both of our kids so much and always walked over to say hello whenever we were out front. The enjoyable summer we put an above ground pool up and the kids played and swam in it constantly was particularly enjoying for Al. He often told me what a kick he got out of hearing them laughing so much while playing in the water. I
Remember him saying often, “I could hear them from my backyard again!” And then he’d add, “It always put a smile on my face”.
That was the Al (or Owl) we knew and loved.
Lorraine Sherwood
Al was the kind of neighbor that everyone should enjoy at least once in their life. He was a man you could count on, anytime day or night. When we first moved into our house he introduced himself and proceeded to run through his rules for living next door to him. That was just his way, gruff exterior with a heart of gold. Our dogs loved Al as much he loved them. He always displayed a soft side for dogs. More than once we came home and he was in our back yard rubbing our dogs belly or giving them a giant bone he’d picked up at the PX just for them. His service to our great country was something he never bragged about, but something we always appreciated and an aspect of Al that deserved tremendous respect. As a husband and father I appreciated having Al next door. I travel quite a bit for business, often gone for a week at a time. But I knew that with Al next door all my family needed to do was call and he’d break down the door to help, he was just that kind of guy. No better friend, no worse enemy. Semper Fi Al.
Rob Gladden
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18