VERO BEACH — Private First Class Christopher “Chris” Leone Belcher, a U.S. Army soldier and 2011 Vero Beach High School graduate, died unexpectedly May 3 while on active duty in Germany, according to officials. He was 34.
Now, Belcher’s family and friends, along with several agencies, are preparing to honor him when his body is flown back to Vero Beach about 3 p.m. Friday, May 22 as the Memorial Day Weekend gets underway. Belcher’s casket will arrive at the Corporate Air Inc. facility at the Vero Beach Airport, 2612 Airport North Drive, according to officials with Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory.
Belcher will receive full military honors, officials said.
Officials with the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Vero Beach Police Department, Indian River County Fire Rescue and the U.S. Army will be at the airport for the arrival of Belcher’s casket. The public can view from outside the gate but will not be allowed inside past security.
Sheriff’s officials will transport Belcher’s casket to Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, 1655 27th St., Vero Beach. The procession route to the funeral home will be Aviation Boulevard to U.S. 1 to 26th Street to 27th Street.
Details on how Belcher died were limited, but funeral home officials confirmed the manner of death was an “honorable passing.” A private service will be held at a later date.
Belcher was born in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and moved to Vero Beach as a teenager, his obituary shows. While in Vero Beach, Belcher developed a lifelong love for boxing and fitness.
Belcher is survived by his daughter KiraBella Belcher and her mother Kayla, his siblings Shalouna DeLeon, Ghia Chambers, & Edward Chambers, nephews Xavi & Vega, and several family members and friends, according to the funeral home.
Belcher was preceded in death by his parents Christy Belcher and Edward Chambers. Belcher’s family requested donations be made in his name to The Wounded Warrior Project, a national nonprofit that provides free mental health, physical wellness, peer support and veterans’ affairs benefits assistance programs to veterans.
