This Letter to the Editor was submitted by Jack O'Malley:
Where do you start to describe a man, the mere mention of whose nickname – “Schwabbie” – brings an instant smile to your face? A man, whose larger-than-life physical presence could be intimidating at first, but served only to disguise a big teddy bear inside. A man, who hailed from Maryland, but had a heart the size of Texas.
Our community has been shaken by the sudden passing of a good friend, neighbor and coach, Keith Schwab, on the Memorial Day weekend. . They will need all of us in the days ahead. The outpouring of emotions and the bombardment of emails have all conveyed the same sentiments: we lost "a good one" far too soon, and we are all lucky to have had Keith in our lives.
I had the distinct honor of serving with Schwabbie on two of our town’s youth sports boards: the Haddonfield Soccer Club and the Haddonfield Youth Basketball Association. In many ways, youth sports organizations are not unlike most other volunteer organizations. Many people do a lot of little things to help out; a select few do a lot of big things to make their organizations run seamlessly. Keith did A LOT of the big things.
Being the president of the Soccer Club is far from a part-time hobby. Volunteering countless hours, days, nights and weekends comes with the territory in a club of over 800 kids. On our basketball board Keith handled the ordering and delivering of balls, shirts, and uniforms. He set up and maintained our website. Fielding phone calls, emails, and transporting “stuff” was a daily task. And on the “off days” he got to do what he loved best – coaching the kids.
Finally, it was not just about the time that Schwabbie gave back to our community as a whole and to our children specifically, it was the way he gave back. Always with that big smile, the quick wit and the knee-slapping sense of humor. Keith just plain “got it” and did it all for the right reasons. His boundless energy and positive attitude were on display in gyms and fields all year long and all in the spirit of creating a positive experience for our children.
A man can leave no greater legacy.
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