Chris Checketts

1963 - 2019

This is the story of a life lived without limits. The story of Chris Checketts. Our son, our brother, our cousin, our uncle, our neighbor, our husband, our dad, our grandpa, our friend, and also our adrenaline junkie, our adventure coach and our guide. It is a true story that sometimes seemed like fiction - a grand adventure playing out like an award-winning screenplay. If it were a movie, it would have won an Oscar. There is not enough room to tell it all here. (There wouldn't be enough room in an entire old school Yellow Pages, in fact.) So this is an abridged version - a snippet meant to help those who played a part in the story to remember its leading man, and to inspire those who never had a chance to meet the star of the show. Chris Checketts was the life of any party and a man who left an eternal mark on this world. He had his last great adventure in this life doing what he loved most with his son in his beloved mountains, and then we said goodbye to Chris April 6, 2019, on his 56th birthday, as he left peacefully, eager to start his next great adventure. We can only imagine his pure joy as he graduated from this world, fully prepared to greet his Savior and embrace his grandparents and other loved ones who came before.

Born April 6, 1963 in Logan, Utah, Chris called Providence, Utah, home for his entire life except for the two years he spent vibrantly and passionately spreading the gospel and sharing his deep love of Christ and the scriptures as a missionary in Cleveland, Ohio. (Oh ... and there was that short summer spent climbing trees and picking pineapples in Hawaii.)

Chris lived life with his entire self, throwing himself completely into anything he did from the time he was a little boy. Learning not only to walk but to run by 9 months old, Chris never did stop running. Those who knew him would recognize his signature gait anywhere - a little bounce in his step and his body always leaning forward, as if his head was determined to get wherever he was going faster than his legs could carry him. Whatever he decided to do, he did all the way. As a boy, it was raising chickens or robins, learning to fish or, one of his most prized projects, his pumpkin patch. Sowing the seeds in the summer at the age of 7, Chris tended to his pumpkins multiple times a day, squealing "they're coming!" with delight at each new sign of growth, never tiring of the miracle of nature, until he finally had pumpkins of his own for his porch. School was no different for Chris; he threw himself in 100%, as he did with everything. He never lost the enthusiasm he had on that first day of kindergarten, when he came home exclaiming, "it was fun, and fun, and fun, and fun … and even louder than that!"

He certainly lived his life out loud, embracing adventure at every turn. The mountains were his home, the place where he felt most alive. There was no cave he didn't want to explore, no peak he didn't want to summit, no trail he didn't want to traverse, no fresh powder he didn't want to ride through, no adventure he didn't want to embrace. He felt the presence of God in the mountains, marveling at the grandeur of His creation, feeling close to and in tune with his Savior. He cherished the lyrics of his favorite hymn, "All Creatures of Our God and King," because it reminded him to breathe in the beauty, large and small, of every tiny blossom and of every grand vista. And, like anyone who truly loves something, Chris wanted to share the mountains with others-using his irresistible charm to somehow convince you that it would be fun and normal to wake up at 4 am to "beat the sun" and get on the trailhead. "What are we WAITING for?" he would say or "Are WE still here?" as he bounced with endless energy ready to live a little more deeply. Spend enough time with him and you'd hear one of his favorite phrases: "The question really is, why aren't we in the Tetons?" See, even though Chris never met a trail he didn't like, the Tetons had a special place in his heart. He reached the summit of The Grand 17 times and has taken more than 30 people to the top. On this peak and many others, countless people saw the world a little differently, experienced nature a little more fully, because he was their guide. Even the journey to the journey was fun with Chris shouting "Let's get this road on the show" and blasting the music-usually Journey or Queen or sometimes even Air Supply-loudly over the speakers, dancing awkwardly with his long arms and legs, and using the charger in the car or some other random nearby object as a microphone. No one could be unhappy or grumpy in his presence. It just wasn't possible.

It was certainly not all play for Chris. Our leading man was a true craftsman and a hard worker. As with everything he did, Chris never worked just to work. He worked out of a sense of pride and a genuine love of creation. Those who knew him knew his shop was a work of art, a thing of absolute perfection with a place for every tool. His love of God's creations extended into his work, with a magnificent sense of love for the natural beauty of granite stone he wove into masterful countertops.

There was one thing Chris loved more than the mountains, and that was his family. Chris was married on August 29, 1986, to Sandra Tolman, his soulmate and his sweetheart. A marathon runner, she was his equal in adventure and the two hiked and climbed and biked and explored together until, one night on the top of the Wellsville Mountains, Chris proposed. And it's a darn good thing she said yes, because the two went on to raise an incredible family. For a while it looked like Chris would be severely outnumbered as a guy - with the couple welcoming first a daughter (Alisha), then another daughter (Brittany), then another daughter (Kylie) and then, yet another daughter! (Missy), but then finally, a son (Jake!). Three (soon to-be-four!) son-in-laws joined the family, and five grandsons and a granddaughter quickly swung the male-female ratio in Chris's favor. His greatest joy in life was being a dedicated "pops" to his family. Chris instilled a deep love of the gospel and a sense of gratitude for nature and the mountains in each of his children and grandchildren.

The strength of Chris's testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints matched the way he lived his life-with full commitment, conviction and dedication. From an early age, he was unwavering in his love of the Savior, instilling this into his children with nightly family prayer and regular one-on-one discussions about their testimonies and the scriptures. His faith and acute sense of the Spirit in his life allowed him to be the one who recovered his father, Stan Checketts, from being buried alive in an avalanche.

He was magnanimous in all he did-a giant among men. He was a competitor at heart who never liked the easy way. He enjoyed pedaling his mountain bike up a hill more than coming down because he felt "you have to earn your turns." His ability to make people laugh was effortless- even the simplest things were funny with Chris's quick wit. When he told a joke that went over well, he grinned and giggled with his whole body, proud and happy to have made someone laugh.

Even the most timid among us would warm up around Chris. He simply made people feel welcome, and he was a catalyst for others. His herculean energy was contagious. I'm sure we would all agree that his life was "fun, and fun, and fun, and fun, and even louder than that!"

We told you this story would seem a little like fiction. But every word is true. He was our leading man, and he really was that incredible. We are forever grateful to have played a role in his award-worthy life-one that will continue to inspire for generations to come. We love you, Chris.

Chris's legacy lives on through his dad, Stan Checketts; mom, Jo Checketts; stepmom, Sandy Checketts; wife, Sandra Checketts; five children Alisha (Doug) Deakin, Brittany (Shane) Huish, Kylie (Karl) Bischoff, Missy Checketts (and fiance Brennen Clegg) and Jacob Chris Checketts; six grandchildren, Parker and Lillian Huish, Jason and William Deakin, Kyson and Kellen Bischoff; and siblings Ray Checketts, Jed Checketts, Quin Checketts, Mindy Threet, Cami Boehme, Cody Davis, Dusty Davis, Kevin Checketts, Javier Romero and Miriana Woods.

There will be a viewing Tuesday, April 9, from 5 - 7:30 pm at Nyman Funeral Home, 753 South, 100 East in Logan, Utah. The funeral service will be held Wednesday, April 10, at noon at the Stake Center at 360 East, 450 North in Millville, Utah.

In lieu of flowers, go take a hike. No, seriously, please take your family and enjoy the mountains and remember Chris. If you don't like the weather, go anyway. Chris would tell you, "There's no such thing as bad weather. Only poor preparation."