Obituary: Pete Chanteloup served Menlo fire district 30 years Obituary: Pete Chanteloup served Menlo fire district 30 years (August 24, 2005)

A funeral service is set for Wednesday, August 24, at Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park for Peter J. "Pete" Chanteloup, who died unexpectedly August 19 while walking in San Carlos. Mr. Chanteloup, who retired in 1992 from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, was 68, and resided in Palo Alto.

Mr. Chanteloup rose through the ranks to battalion chief during his 30 years with the fire district. His death was a shock to his "family" at the district -- former colleagues he still visited regularly.

The morning he died, "he came by Station 1 (headquarters on Middlefield Road) to visit me and the rest of the guys," said Mike Sweeney, Mr. Chanteloup's son-in-law and a captain with the Menlo Park fire district. "We shared some good laughs, then he left," Mr. Sweeney said.

He had gone to San Carlos, where he worked for a nonprofit organization that provides emergency training for public and private agencies. While Mr. Chanteloup was walking up the hill to reach his workplace, "someone saw him grab his chest" before he fell to the ground and died, Mr. Sweeney said.

Firefighting was in Mr. Chanteloup's blood. His late father, Noe, was fire chief of San Mateo, an uncle also retired from that department, his son-in-law said. "There's over 100 years (of firefighting history) in the family," said Mr. Sweeney, who has more than 20 years himself.

Born in San Mateo, Mr. Chanteloup served in the Marine Corps. He enjoyed spending time with family members at sporting events, school activities and on vacation, and his "beautiful garden is a tribute to the beautiful person he was," his family said.

Mr. Chanteloup is survived by his wife, Charlene; his daughters and sons-in-law Michele and Mike Sweeney and Patricia and Greg Royse; a sister, Janet Jones; and five grandchildren.

A rosary will be said on Tuesday, August 23, at 7 p.m., with visitation beginning at 6:30 p.m., at Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave. in Menlo Park.

The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. the next day at the church. Interment will follow at Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto.

The family prefers that donations be made to the Junipero Serra Athletic Fund, 451 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403.

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