Chris Christy 1918-2002

CHRISTY, PEFFER

Posted By: Webmaster ICGS (email)
Date: 10/3/2002 at 20:14:32

Gay & Ciha Funeral & Cremation Service– Iowa City – (319) 338-1132
2720 Muscatine Avenue, Iowa City, Iowa 52240

Iowa City Press-Citizen –picture
Cedar Rapids Gazette-picture

Iowa City Dateline:

Chris Christy, age 83 of 2928 Court Street, Iowa City died Saturday, September 21, 2002 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City of leukemia.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, September 25, 2002 at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Serive in Iowa City with the Reverend James Vrba officiating. Burial with military Honors provided by the Walter Johnson Post 721 of the Coralville American Legion will take place at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7pm Tuesday at the funeral home, where a parish vigil service will be held at 7pm. In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in Chris’s memory to Iowa City Hospice. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City is caring for Chris’s services and family.

Mr. Christy was born October 20, 1918 in New York City, New York, the son of Gus and Aphrodite Christie. On July 3, 1945 he married Iona Peffer in Rock Island, Illinois. Chris served six years duty in the 69th. Regiment of the Army New York National Guard before mustering out as a sergeant and enlisting in the United States Marine Corps at the outbreak of World War II. During the war he was stationed in Iowa City, Iowa as a sergeant gunnery instructor for officer’s pre-flight training at the University of Iowa. He later served in the Pacific and China Occupation during the close of the war.

Chris was employed with the Iowa City Assessor’s office, retiring after thirty years. He was an active member of the Moose, Elks, and the American Legion. He enjoyed sports and contributed much of his spare time assisting the track and cross-country coaches at the University of Iowa through forty years of service. He was honored by being an honorary member of the University of Iowa Letterman’s Club.

Mr. Christy was also an avid bowler and his love the game led him to an appointment as secretary of the Iowa City Bowling Association. He was the secretary for forty years. During that time he was inducted into Iowa City’s Bowling Hall of Fame and later became the First Iowa City Bowler to be inducted into the Iowa State Bowling Hall of Fame. The Iowa City Bowling Association Annual City Tournament is named in his honor.

His family includes his wife, Iona; son and his wife, Jim and Rozie Christy of Iowa City; granddaughter, Jane Ellen Christy, Kwajalein, The Marshall Islands; grandson, Lance Corporal Christopher Thomas Christy, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; brother and his wife, Nicholas and Mary Christie of Kenmore, NY; and a sister, Elpie Christie of New York City, NY; and several nieces and nephews.

Chris was a devoted grandfather and a true-blue New York City Fan of the New York Yankees.