Obituary: Christine (Chris) Louise Meisel
September 6, 1951 – August 19, 2023
Christine (Chris) Louise Meisel, eldest daughter of Cedric and Patricia (Smith) Meisel, passed away suddenly from heart failure at her Stockton, Kansas home.
Growing up in Colorado, Chris loved an active lifestyle. She rode with the Westernaires, trained to drive draft horses and of course loved to ski. After attending Western State University in Gunnison, Colorado, Chris arrived in the Vail Valley in 1977. In Chris’ heart, Vail was always her home, she loved everything Vail and it was where she thrived. Chris worked for many years as manager/buyer for Krismar Ltd in Vail Village. In addition to her “day” job, Chris started her own “maker arts” business using her artistic talents and skills to knit, weave and felt to create clothing and art.
However, one evening in 1996 while walking her dogs, Chris was hit by an intoxicated person on a bicycle that left her in a coma for eleven days. The accident left her with a traumatic brain disorder and forever changed her life. Being a survivor, Chris embarked on a different path for her future – training to be a paraprofessional in an elementary school setting, first in Nebraska and most recently Kansas. Chris’ special needs students loved her and that brought her much joy. Chris also loved her animals, especially her Corgi service dog of twelve years, Tulla. When Tulla passed three months ago, Chris quickly adopted two Corgi rescues.
Chris is survived by her two sisters, Ann Meisel of Denver, Colorado and Janet Meisel-Burns and (husband) Ken Burns of Windsor, Colorado. Chris will be missed by her three close friends of over forty years – Pam Dubin, Jane Gowing, and Lynne (Hodgkin) Sayre.
Per Chris’ wishes no services will be held. Memorials may be sent to Corgi Connection of Kansas, Junction City, Kansas, in her memory.
