Chris, age 74, of Blaine, MN passed away unexpectedly due to complications from surgery. He is survived by his patient and loving wife Deb, who was the love of his life. They were married happily for 50 years. He is also survived by his daughter Jenn; two sons Cary and Adam (Michelle); brothers, Jerry, George, Dave; sister Linda; grandchildren, Cassy Rupp, Kaitlin Nielsen, Caleb, Clea and Paige.
He is preceded in death by his parents George and Helen Mely and granddaughter Amelia.
Chris graduated from Edison High School in Minneapolis, MN after having taught his teachers a thing or two. He then met the love of his life Deb at a Halloween party and he swept her away from the date she came with. It was love at first sight and they were married a short four months later in the spring of 1971.
Chris retired from the City of Minneapolis after over 30 years of service. He made many friends while on the job. During his time as a city employee he worked for sewer construction and then later on worked for the sewer maintenance department. He found many treasures and artifacts during his adventures in the depths, including antique marbles, antique bottles, rings and coins.
He was a lifelong Minnesotan and had many hobbies including collecting clocks, banks, and model trains. He enjoyed traveling cross country in his beloved van “Betsy,” taking trips to the cabin, fishing on his boat, humbly winning all types of board games (especially Cribbage), tinkering, drinking Diet Coke and most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family. He was a craftsman of all trades, he built, by hand, the house that he raised his family in coupled with a garage, shed and workshop. He also remodeled that house a number of times along with the houses of his son Adam and daughter Jenn. On top of all that, he tirelessly maintained the family cabin where he loved to spend summers with his family.
Chris despised a number of foods, including colored pasta and green vegetables. Even though he was a diabetic for many years he had a terrible sweet tooth and loved chocolates and candies. He was known for stocking up on candy after holidays and hiding it around the house - sometimes forgetting where it was hidden until it was delightfully re-discovered by his wife.
He also had a love for Westies. Over the years he and his wife Deb had three: Penny, Molly and Daisy. He loved all of them but he absolutely adored Daisy. She would follow him everywhere and she was reluctant to leave his side. Daisy appears to still be awaiting his return.
Chris was a loyal, loving husband and selfless father. He would always put the needs of his wife, children or grandchildren above those of himself - dropping everything to help in any way he could, never asking for anything in return. Chris was a hero to those in his family that knew and loved him. Chris was the kind of man that walked with a purpose and level of confidence that others would follow without question. He always provided an answer to all of life’s problems, even if he just made an answer up sometimes! He never forgot the importance of staying playful which always ended up making his family laugh. Chris appeared to never be unsure or afraid, no matter if he was teetering on a ladder 30 feet in the air, backing up a 25 ft. travel trailer on a 2-lane highway or working with electricity in a damp basement. With the encouragement and support of his wife, he knew he could tackle any adventure.
Chris had a magnificently bright aura that captivated the attention of all babies, cats, and dogs. Everyone who took the time to get to know Chris ended up loving him. He will be greatly missed by many.
Chris’ family held a private service on Monday July 20th, 2020.
Partager l'avis de décès
v.1.11.2