Portrait of Christoffer
Portrait of Christoffer
Christoffer celebrating Christmas
Portrait of Christoffer
Christoffer opening a present on Christmas
Portrait of Christoffer
Christoffer as an infant
Cristoffer as an infant
Christoffer and his parents
Christoffer and his parents
Portrait of Christoffer as a child
Cristoffer, his father, and his favorite cartoon character Snoopy
Portrait of Christoffer in elementary school
Young Christoffer on the steps of his home
Christoffer and his family around the dinner table
Christoffer with his mother and his brother
Christoffer with his father and grandfather
Christoffer and his family
Christoffer celebrating Christmas with his brother
Christoffer learning how to ride a bike with his father
Christoffer and his brother
Christoffer learning how to play an instrument
Young Christoffer with a big smile on his face
Christoffer learning to paint
Christoffer and his family
Christoffer with his brother and father
Christoffer and his family at a special event
Christoffer and his family
Christoffer's high school graduation
Christoffer at his high school graduation with family
Christoffer at home
Christoffer at school
Christoffer celebrating Christmas
Christoffer and his family
Christoffer at prom
Christoffer at prom
Christoffer and his friend
Christoffer at a special event
Christoffer and his family on an excursion
Christoffer and his friend
Christoffer celebrating Christmas with family
Christoffer and family
Christoffer and his father at a special occasion
Christoffer and his family
Christoffer giving a kiss to his mother
Christoffer and his father
Christoffer and family at a special event
Memorial portrait of Christoffer
Memorial for Christoffer and other victims
Sail for America photo in memory of 9/11 victims
Prayer card remembering victims of 9/11
Flag in memory of Christoffer
Personal item of Christoffer
Boston Public Garden 9/11 Memorial
Conseleya 9/11 Memorial
Dewitt 9/11 Memorial
Montclair State University 9/11 Memorial
East Newark 9/11 Memorial
Fair Haven 9/11 Memorial
Freehold Township 9/11 Living Memorial Tree Grove
Crescent Beach Park - Flagpole/Memorial for 9/11 Victims
Garrison Elementary School American Patriot Garden
Chef
Motorcycle enthusiast
gardening
he built his own house
Christoffer "Chris" Carstanjen died at age 33 in the crash of United Airlines Flight 175 on September 11, 2001. He was born in Stamford, Connecticut and attended Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Paul Smith's College, and the University Without Walls here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
He was a computer research specialist for the Office of Information Technologies (OIT) at UMass from November of 2000. He had been OIT's liaison to the UMass College of Humanities and Fine Arts, providing support and consultation to the College's departments in all aspects of OIT services, and provided other OIT customer support functions, especially at the beginning of each semester.
He was a great guy, an avid dancer (morris and contra) and loved motorcycling. To friends he was known as "Captain Tupperware" in reference to his red Honda Pacific Coast 800 which proudly bore a "Body by Tupperware" decal. Chris was on his way for vacation to California for the annual Great Pacific Coast Motorcycle Ride when he was lost on Flight 175.
Christoffer was extremely outgoing and friendly, and very popular within OIT, as well as with our clients. He worked well with both faculty and students and was a great ambassador for the University. Christoffer's sense of the human dimension of technology is one of the many enduring gifts he has given OIT. (source)
New York Times Portraits of Grief
Humorist. Gardener. Motorcycle enthusiast. Philosopher. That is how Christoffer M. Carstanjen liked to be known. His nickname for himself was "Mr. Wonderful" and the line he most identified with was from the filmmaker Federico Fellini: "There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life."
These and other statements he posted on his personal Web site (www-unix.oit. umass.edu/ccarstan/default2.html).
"Listen and surround yourself with positive people," advised Mr. Carstanjen, who worked in the technology office at the University of Massachusetts. The proud owner of a 1998 Honda PC800, Mr. Carstanjen, 34, was aboard United Airlines Flight 175 en route to join other bikers for a ride up the California coast.
His to-do list for the future: "Build another home. More schooling in the evenings. (Never stop learning!) Start a college or a learning/living center for elders. Build that boat, then another one! Learn to sail."
Chris....gone but not
Chris....gone but not forgotten. I remember you as an inquisitive young man straight out of college when I hired you as my assistant manager. As I look back nearly 23 years ago I realize how I never did "get You". But I get it now how completely stifled you were working in the food service industry. You were eccentric passionate and creative but in the wrong industry. If only I had known how to cultivate your talent. I look at your photo and see the mischief in your eyes; taken from the world before you could follow through with all of your dreams Don Quitoxe perhaps but maybe more of us should have followed in your footsteps Chris and dared to dream the impossible dream! Rest in peace.
Published by Karen Pethybridge
Remembered with gratitude and sadness every day since 9/11/01
Chris was a wonderful colleague when we were all on the staff at Northfield Mount Hermon School. He had a warm and fun way about him. After we all left the school he continued as a delightful friend and houseguest in the years that followed. We enjoyed his visits to us just outside of Boston, his sense of whimsy, and kindness. On one of his visits we all piled into my car for a drive because its odometer was about to cross the 100,000 mile marker. We all cheered as it did.
There hasn't been a day since 9/11/2001 when I haven't thought about him and the positive impact he had on our lives and so many more. Almost two years after the terrible day, while on vacation on Cape Cod, by chance I saw his dad's pottery studio. I pulled up my car and introduced myself to his brother and dad. By strange coincidence UPS has just delivered Chris's personal effects from his UMass office desk earlier that morning. His dad asked me if I would open the box with him. We opened it together--and it contained a wonder personality/time capsule of Chris--some of his favorite music on CDs, sunflower boxer shorts, a tin of Altoid mints, and more. It was all "so" Chris. I will be in awe of that bittersweet experience. He was so full of life when it was so cruelly taken away. I'll never forget him.
Posted by Diane Bailey-Boulet
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