“Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard but always near, still loved, still missed and held so dear.
Life story
A loving and devoted father, son, brother, partner and friend, a God fearing man who left this world far too soon but will be impossible to ever forget. Chris’s unwavering kindness, gentle nature and infectious smile made people gravitate towards him everywhere he went. He effortlessly drew in friends and those he considered his family from all walks of life.
He was very much a free spirit, always onto the next adventure and well known for impromptu trips and last minute plans. He could be packed and ready for just about anything at a moments notice. Chris loved to be outdoors, especially up in the mountains or out on the water. He would never turn down an opportunity to go camping, hiking, 4-wheeling, hunting, boating or shooting. Weekend 4-wheeling trips were something him and his daughter Bailey always looked forward to and loved to do together and he shared the same passion and love for guns with his son Garrett.
Chris never left home without 3 things, his handgun, an extensive Spotify playlist and his harmonica. He loved music, any and all music. He had a hilarious and annoying ability to recite the most random song lyrics and one liners from movies and TV shows. His timing was impeccable and he aways had a way of making people laugh when they needed it the most.
He loved animals, especially his sweet dog Lola, almost as much as he loved kids. He spent countless hours playing beauty shop, teaching gun safety, having backyard campouts, giving snowboarding and wakeboarding lessons, taking kids hunting, tinkering in the garage, making silly TikTok videos, teaching teenagers how to drive, carpooling, coaching baseball teams, watching soccer games, rodeos, volleyball tournament's, planning camping trips for 4 kids and their friends, taking them “snipe hunting” in the dark, putting together the perfect playlists, building birdhouses and snowmen and everything in between. His kids, step kids, friends kids, neighbors, it didn’t matter, he loved them all. If life had worked out differently he would have had an entire baseball team of his own kids!
Chris’s love for the Yankees and all things Disney was shared with his parents, Bob and Candy, and sister Kim. If you asked him about some of his fondest childhood memories they would include Disneyland and baseball games, and of course the Bell family Christmas’s. Chris was very much a family man who always wanted to lay the same foundation and create the same memories for his own family that his parents and grandparents did for him. The memories he created for his daughter and his step kids, with things like their first trips to Disneyland and first major league baseball games, is a true testament to how much he valued those core memories that were created for him.
Losing Chris so soon has left us all with a void that cannot possibly be put into words, but the impact he made on our lives is just as powerful. I know he’s up there reuniting with old friends, walking hand in hand with his beloved grandfather again and still beautifully playing his harmonica for us all. We may not be able to see him standing beside us anymore or hear his larger than life laugh, but he’s very much still here in spirit.
One day we will all get to see his smiling face again as he welcomes us home, one by one. Until that day comes, I think I speak for all who knew him when I say, we will be forever thankful for the wonderful memories he left us and all the love he showed us. Chris, you were loved beyond measure and will be forever missed. ❤️
Thank you for doing life with me and raising our crazy kids together for all those years, for all the belly laughs, weekend adventures, daily annoyances, countless roadtrips, completed Pinterest projects you rarely complained about and the immeasurable love you gave us all! I hope you knew how much you were truly and completely loved in return, even if we didn’t tell you enough. Thank you for 9 years full of so many memories. You were one of a kind and will be forever missed. ❤️
His Favorite Gun
Always in charge of the music
