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Anonymous (not verified)

February 21, 2020

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

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In Remembrance
Age:
33
Place of Residence:
Turner Falls, MA
Location on 9/11:
Aircraft
Occupation:
University of Massachusetts Amherst | Staff Assistant Office of Information Technology
Biography:

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)