Christopher L. Beecher ^{2 3 4}

   FamilySearch ID: LF2L-TQ3.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Newspaper: The Sentinel, 7 Aug 1975, Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ⁶ Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Beecher, of 1767 E. Little Creek Road, Norfolk, Va., announce the birth of a son, Aug. 6 in Norfolk, Va. Mrs. Beecher is the former Judy Braught, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mervin Braught, 76 Linn Drive, Carlisle, and Dennis is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lynn K. Beecher also of Carlisle.

2. Newspaper: The Sentinel: Christopher L. Beecher and Stephanie M. McElwee, 500 block of Range End Road, Dillsburg., 4 Oct 1999, Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ⁷

3. Residence: Christopher L. And Stephanie M. Lived at 324 Walnut Ln, Carlisle, PA in 2001 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ^{3 8}

4. Newspaper: The Sentinel: Christopher L. Beecher and Jennifer C. Wisniewski, 100 block of Sherwood Drive, Carlisle., 22 Apr 2004, Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ²

5. Newspaper: The Sentinel: Funeral of Mervin L. Braught Jr., 2 Apr 2007, Carlisle, Cumberland, PA. ⁹ -----
Tribute To One of Their Own
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(photo caption: Members of Citizens Fire Co. in Mt. Holly Springs give a farewell salute Sunday to the late Mervin Braught Jr. as a fire truck bearing his ashes passes by on the late 62-year veteran firefighter's last call. Below, Fire Chief Matt Boyce arrives at First United Methodist Church on East North Street, Carlisle, for tthe Braught funeral.
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The words of the first hymn sung at Mervin L. Braught Jr.'s funeral Sunday were a fitting evocation of his life. "Here I am," said the words, in response to the Lord of wind and flame. "I have heard you calling in the night. I will go." For 62 years, Braught, 79, served Carlisle as a volunteer firefighter. On Sunday, his family, friends and fellow firefighters gathered at First United Methodist Church to pay tribute to him. "We put our company out of service for a few hours,", said Randy Hays, a member of the Empire-Friendship Fire Co. Braught joined one of its predecessors, the Empire Hook & Ladder Co., on May 27, 1945, and never quit.
Final call
Hays stood outside the church, beside the company's black-draped engine, which later would carry Braught's ashes on a procession passing by fire stations in the Carlisle area. Around the corner were gleaming trucks from other area companies, assembled to form Braught's final escort. The procession ended at Empire-Friendship Fire Station, where two ladder trucks formed an arch for them to pass beneath. "He was just a superb person," said Hays, who estimated that he had known Braught for 30 years. Although Braught didn't go out on fire calls in recent years, Hays said, he was still very much a presence at the company, showing up to help with things like bingo. Throughout Braught's lifetime, Hays said, he filled many positions at the company, including that of fire chief. Inside, displayed with pictures of Braught was a large oak plaque featur ing an antique ax and helmet, plus the application Braught signed to join the company. "He was very proud of that," said Dennis Beecher, who former son-in-law. The plaque, he said, was given to Braught in 1995 to commemorate his 50 years of service. "He was the oldest surviving member," he said. "Now his brother, Richard, is." With encouragement from Braught, Beecher and another son-in-law both joined volunteer fire companies. Today his son and Braught's grandson, Christopher Beecher, is a 91 1 dispatcher and a volunteer firefighter with Monroe Fire Co. And Christopher's brother, Michael Beecher, is serving in Baghdad.
Service videotaped
"The family is very thankful for the fire companies and for the support that was given them," said Christopher Beecher, who said he had a great relationship with his grandfather. The service was videotaped, he said, so Michael could see it. Throughout the visitation preceding the ceremony, firefighters stood at attention at the entrance to the sanctuary: "There may be people who say Merv was born to be a firefighter," said the Rev. John Shellenberger. But he pointed out that Braught was many other things too a family man, a member of the church for more than 50 years, and the type of friend who spends all evening shoveling out people's driveways when it snows. Bill Henry, the brother of another of Braught's son-in-laws, spoke for the family. "It seemed he was never out of jokes or one-liners," he said, recalling Braught's fondness for kidding about taking naps. Other things the family remembered about Braught was that despite his years of service on the ladder company, he was scared of heights and that even though he hated swimming, he took his wife and daughters to the beach each year. "We were blessed to have him," Henry said.
'Last alarm'
At the end of the service, Empire-Friendship Fire Chief Matt Boyce spoke about the tradition of "The Last Alarm," and the significance bells hold throughout firefighters' lives. "When the fire is out, and it's safe, the bell rang three times, to signal the end," he said. Braught's son-in-law, Andrew Henry, toned the silver bell, and all the firefighters in the audience two full rows up front, and many others throughout the audience saluted. Sniffles were audible. . Then two officers removed the crossed, gleaming fire axes from the front of the sanctuary and left the sanctuary, ready to escort Braught on his last parade.

Christopher married Stephanie M. McElwee, daughter of Steven E. McElwee and Unknown, in Oct 1999 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA.¹ (Stephanie M. McElwee was born on 15 Dec 1977 in Mount Holly Springs, Cumberland, PA ¹⁰.)

Christopher next married Jennifer C. Wisniewski in Apr 2004 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA.²