Christopher P. Duetemeyer

Chris was born in Southfield, Michigan on July 26, 1976. His big brother, Kurt 9 years his senior, came to the hospital with Dad to bring him home. Chris baptized into the Lutheran Church at 3 weeks old. His godparents are Jan and Walt Covert and his brother Kurt. What I remember most about his baby years was his complacent personality. He rarely cried, never wanted a pacifier, and traded a baby bottle in for a cup at only a few months old. Chris attended St. Paul’s Lutheran Elementary School in Northville, Michigan from preschool through 7th grade. In kindergarten he managed to call his teacher Mrs. Duetemeyer, never slipping up and calling her Mom. Chris was well liked for his unconventional personality and his athletic prowess. He definitely was not known for his academic achievements, although he was well spoken and well learned. Outside of school commitments Chris played community soccer and took piano lessons from Mrs. Hathakonavala. A Wednesday/Saturday local paper route at 9 years old gave him a strong work ethic plus extra spending money. After a move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, Chris attended Clague Middle School for one year. There he became a member of the basketball team, became proficient in public speaking and expressed his artistic talents. He attended St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ann Arbor, where he was confirmed into the Lutheran faith in the spring of 1989. Although Lutheran High School in Westland was a long distance from home, Mom and Dad decided that religious and moral training would give Chris a strong character. To acclimate him into a new school and find new friends, his Dad encouraged him to join the football team for summer training so he would have friends before the school year started. Eventually, he also joined the basketball and track teams. After high school Chris attended Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan just a stones throw from his home in Ann Arbor. Despite the fact that it was a close commute, Mom and Dad thought it would be a good experience for him to live in a dormitory. Evidently he didn’t agree because Chris only spent his first college year in a dorm and came back home to live for the remainder of his 1 ½ years at the University. With Chris’ strong worth ethic, he always seemed to find a job, particularly in the food industry. In high school he was a busboy at Washtenaw Country Club restaurant. In college, he bartended and worked security at a local Sheraton Inn. These jobs prepared him for his long future with Cheeburger, Cheeburger. Chris left his college career after 2 ½ years of education to go to Florida where Mom and Dad retired. He put everything he owned in his Mustang convertible and drove nonstop to Ft. Myers. The first stop he made was at a car dealer to get a job. Ultimately, he did not end up working there. Instead he waited tables at Cheeburger, Cheeburger in Naples, FL. Within a years time, he worked his way up to manager of the Bonita Springs Cheeburger. To make Chris a great manager, the owner gave Chris a small amount of stock in the restaurant. Chris’ ownership grew to 20% of the total restaurant value. Despite the investment, Chris’ heavy work schedule drove him to seek new employment. He became friends with Casey, a young man who owned a truck and maintenance company. Chris became Casey’s partner so now there was two men and a truck. When hurricanes Charley and Wilma hit Southwest Florida they had more business than they could handle and it is still going strong. For most of the 10 years Chris lived in Florida he lived in Ft. Myers in the Eagle Ridge apartments off of Daniels Parkway. His love, Heather, has lived with him for the past 3 years. Along with his thriving business, Heather had made him very happy. Things were going very well for Chris and he was at the top of his game. Throughout his life Chris always enjoyed water sports. In his early years, he spent many long days on a power boat going to various inland lakes for picnics and fishing. His first sailing experience was on a 25' O’Day sailboat in 1980. Many days of rough Lake Erie seas made Chris a seasoned sailor. He was Dad’s first mate when handling the next O’Day 28', the O’Day 34' and the latest Tartan 40'. On his own, Chris bought a fishing boat with motor and trailer and currently owned a jet ski. His favorite water adventure was to stand in the water in Sanibel Causeway and Lover’s Key and cast his line, hoping to catch a whale. The biggest fish I ever saw on his line was a Tarpon in Charlotte Harbor. Thank goodness he didn’t land it because it probably wouldn’t fit in the tiny Mako runabout that he was in. Fitness was one of Chris’ top priorities. He daily lifted weights at Gold’s Gym and he was concerned about eating a healthy diet. Another priority was his love of hot cars, especially Mustangs. He had the ability to fix them up mechanically and cosmetically to perfection. Chris also had a passion for pets. He had a black cat he named Detroit, go figure, and later had a dog named Azura who adored him. On one instance, he brought Azura on the Tartan sailboat and every time Chris left the cockpit to go to the bow of the boat Azura would watch his every move, making sure he was okay. All of us who knew him remember the good times and the bad. His good looks would knock the socks off the girls and his scintillating personality made him everyone’s friend. His impeccable manners were impressive to young and old alike. Anyone would be proud to introduce him as a relative or friend. All was not always good, like the time he brought Mom a Halloween pumpkin. When asked where he got it he said he found it in a pumpkin patch. His Dad made him take $5 to the farmer. The last time I saw Chris was the day before he died. He ate Mom’s homemade Valentine hearts and chocolate chip cookies while installing a disposal. When he left he hugged me tight for a long time. That hug will have to last a lifetime!.