We honor the life of our brother, Christopher J. Renfranz, who passed away Oct. 25, 2024, in Durham, North Carolina. Chris was born Oct. 17, 1951, in Hinsdale, Illinois, and was a long-time resident of both Lakeland, Florida, and Norwood, Massachusetts.
Chris was the son of Winifred A. (Kreipke) and William C. Renfranz. He is survived by his siblings Peggy, Don, and Pat. He is also survived by his cherished nieces and nephews: Christy, John, Amy, Marie, Aaron, Caroline, and Camille, as well as by numerous grand-nieces and -nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, brothers Stephen B. and Robert C., and nephew Eli.
Chris was born with profound hearing loss and cerebral palsy. There were no public school programs for disabled children during Chris’s childhood, and parents of disabled children were often pressured to place their children in state-run institutions. Our parents refused to do so. Our mother and father took on the role of educating Chris in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Mom especially nurtured his fascination with nature. They were aided by United Cerebral Palsy, ARC of Polk County, the Boy Scouts of America, and private physical and speech therapists, as well as instruction in American Sign Language at the University of South Florida. In Lakeland, Chris worked at The Sheltered Workshop plant nursery and at Goodwill Industries. He took pride in his work, and was honored by being named Worker of the Year at Goodwill in 1979. In Norwood, he joined Lifeworks, which supported his employment at Café West, ConEdison, and Fire Control Instruments, and which, as importantly, gave him an active social community. He made good friends in all those organizations.
He was an avid reader of newspapers and almanacs, followed national and international politics closely, and kept detailed records of his sport teams. He loved to travel, having some great adventures, map in hand, with his family up and down the eastern seaboard and out west in Utah and California. He loved playing–and winning!–games, especially BINGO, UNO!, and 21. He was also a terrific bowler, spending many a thrilling Saturday afternoon with his friends at the alley in Lakeland off Edgewood Dr.
Chris’ life-long, greatest passion was Monarch butterflies. In 1963, he directly participated in the study of their migration by releasing banded Monarchs in Lakeland. This research, led by scientists at the University of Toronto, was instrumental in our understanding of Monarch migration routes and that their migration spans multiple generations of butterflies. He cultivated milkweed in our backyard on Kensington St., and systematically monitored and notated the number and life-cycle of Monarchs that came through our neighborhood. He continued to cultivate milkweed while living in MA and NC and was always on the watch for Monarchs. One of his last smiles was directed towards a beautiful jeweled butterfly brooch worn by his hospice nurse.
Chris kept a deep faith. In Lakeland, he was a long-time member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the deaf fellowship at Southside Baptist Church, as well as the DeafCommunityFellowship in Raleigh NC. He found great companionship and energy at the Immanuel Deaf Church in Boston, and held Pastor Lamonte Grant in the highest esteem.
Chris lived his life with great passion and exuberance. He loved his family, but his attention would be drawn away when a Monarch butterfly flew by, or when the New England Patriots scored, or by any ice hockey game. He was, by the example of his life, a disability advocate. And although he was frustrated by the difficulties he had communicating with hearing individuals, his love for family, his work ethic, and his joie de vivre serve as a powerful lesson that life is beautiful and the richness of the human experience is profound. We all miss him so very much.
If you would like to remember Chris, take a walk outside. Make note of the birds, of the wind on your face, of a cloud in the sky, of a butterfly on a flower. That’s where he is now, a butterfly lifting itself into the blue. Please also consider making a contribution to either Monarch Joint Venture (https://monarchjointventure.org/) or Lifeworks Inc. (https://lifeworksarc.org/).
Condolences may be sent to the family at https://www.legacy.com/legacy/christopher-renfranz
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