Christian D. Bohrer

1996 - 2016

Christian David Bohrer of Chugiak, Alaska, died abruptly on April 20, 2016, as the result of a Cessna 172 crash located just a few miles from his family home and his aviation home, The Birchwood Airport. He died living his passion of flying. Bohrer was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on March 25, 1996. He lived in Alaska most of his life. He is a 2014 graduate of Chugiak High School, where he played baseball, was a member of the World Discovery Seminar and finished out his participation in the Anchorage School District Spanish Immersion program since kindergarten that began at Chugiak Elementary School and continued at Mirror Lake Middle School before CHS. He graduated cum laude and was a member of the National Honor Society. He participated in the Rose Urban Rural Exchange, went to Boys State and received the Rotary International Leadership Award while in high school. Bohrer played ball since a young age. He played T-ball and worked his way through the Knik Little League system until high school, where he played third base for the CHS Mustangs. He also played for the American Legion Post 33 of Chugiak and was a member of the 2013 team that won the Alaska-based American Legion championship. He had a keen interest in politics and participated in the 4-H Youth in Governance program that visited Juneau, Alaska. Rep. Bill Stoltze, a Republican from Chugiak, met Bohrer there and remained in contact with him attending Bohrer's high school graduation and encouraging him to pursue his dreams. Bohrer earned his private pilot's license in May 2014. His commercial license was obtained in May 2015, and his instructor's license in September 2015. In his short aviation career, Bohrer logged 413 hours. "His strongest passion was flying and he truly loved being a flight instructor. He read books on aviation, from weather to aerodynamics, constantly," wrote his parents, Mark and Patrice Bohrer, also of Chugiak. Bohrer was a student at the University of Alaska Anchorage pursuing a degree in mathematics. He participated in the Cabin Fever Debates tournament at UAA and was a finalist this year. He took heavy class loads and summer school in an effort to finish his degree by 2017 and "get it out of the way" to pursue a full-time career in aviation. His other recreational interests included back country skiing, duck hunting, hiking, mountain biking and white water kayaking. He recently grew a bonsai tree from seed. "Christian was compassionate, kind, caring and a true friend to many. He was sensitive to others' feeling and always tried to lift those up who needed it. He was a polite, respectful, cheerful, positive guy. He was determined when he set his mind to something and didn't let anything stand in his way of accomplishing his goal," his parents wrote. "We are so very grateful to have had 20 years with this amazing young man. And we take comfort in the fact that he was doing what he absolutely loved when he left this world. We will miss him tremendously but his spirit will remain in our hearts and in our lives always." Bohrer was preceded in death by Beverly Bohrer, his grandmother from Louisiana. Bohrer is survived by his parents, Mark and Patrice Bohrer of Chugiak; and his brother, Zachary Bohrer; as well as grandparents, Stanley Bohrer and Lester and Diane Simon of Louisiana; and Annie Mae Duhon, great-grandmother of Louisiana. Other surviving family includes aunt and uncles from Louisiana: Lisa and Allen Ebarb, Tamra and Carl Dupuy and Vanessa Seneca; and from Pennsylvania: Todd and Theresa Simon. First cousins include Landon, Brooke and Connor Dupuy and Caylee and Carlee Ebarb of Louisiana; Courtney Escoyne of New York; Jeremy Seneca of Texas; and Savanah Simon of Connecticut. Bohrer is also survived by an extensive beautiful "Alaska family" of wonderful friends his parents said are too numerous to count, but each valued equally. A Celebration of Life is planned for Monday, April 25, 2016, from 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m., at Community Covenant Church in Eagle River.