Sunday, January 10, 2021
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I only learned today that my friend, Chris, had passed. He and I worked closely together from 1976-1988 in Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks. We were not only co-workers, but pals. We golfed together (in fact my first set of clubs were an old set that he told me had belonged to his father.) We enjoyed some cold beers, bull roasts, Orioles and Baltimore Colt games, and lots of laughs during those years. He was a trusted confidante and a model for what it meant to be a real pro in the Recreation and Parks profession. Chris was part of my wedding party in 1977. On July 4, 2018 he stopped by my house to say hello while on his way to find a few fireworks to entertain his neighbors. I went to law school while still working for Rec and Parks and moved on in my government employment to serve as a prosecutor. Chris and I exchanged Christmas cards and phone calls from time to time. I became a Permanent Deacon for the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2011 and Chris told me he saw the sign at St. Charles Borromeo church welcoming me as the new deacon on his way to getting coffee at his favorite Dunkin Donuts. I last saw him at the dedication of Craig Linthicum Way in the spring of 2019. On my way to or from St. Charles Church I would frequently drive by his house on Hendon Road in Randallstown hoping to catch him in the garage tinkering around. Last month when I drove by his house and saw no tire tracks in the snow covered driveway, I became concerned. This morning on my way to Mass I saw a big roll off container in the driveway of his house, obviously there for some major interior renovation. That led me to check the obituary listings. Chris was a very good man and back in my Rec and Parks days one of my two best friends. The other best friend left us in 2006 suddenly to a heart attack. I imagine they are now on a golf course in heaven coming in well under par and enjoying the 19th hole. To his loved ones, please accept my condolence and know that Chris and you are in my prayers. I am sorry I could not be present to express my feelings in person. Chris, this isn't goodbye. It is merely a "see you later." Rest in peace.
