Wednesday, January 17, 2018
From my Daughter Kate. In loving memory of Chico Christopher. Chico was like a third parent for most of my childhood. He and my parents rotated cooking and dish duty for years, giving each person every third week off from dinner duty. Chico’s presence in our home taught me that family is who you choose, gather, and love. He was also the one who brought me pastries on weeknights in crinkly white bakery bags, drove me to adventures in his Jeep, and came out with devastating one liners when you least expected it. We regularly sent chocolate and cards back and forth, until this month. Chico gave constantly, significantly, irrationally of himself to anyone in need. When an early Grandparents Day rolled around and mine were far away, he instantly stepped into the roll of “Grandpa Chico” so we could hang out once a year at school. He never missed Grandparents Day. Chico was a master gardener who grew a fantastic garden where he taught his neighbors and hungry local kids how to grow and harvest fruit and veggies. He offered up produce freely, claiming that he needed help with the harvest. I remember picking pounds and pounds of red and black raspberries in big bowls for pies. I know in the coming weeks I will hear a hundred new stories of his kindness from his many fans. Through my eyes, then and now, very simply, Chico was the best. He is so missed. Kate Fama
