My Friend Kris

Even as I start to write this I feel the emotion welling up. It's bittersweet. Bitter because I have lost my oldest friend, my closest friend growing up in Davis, and sweet because I now get to follow these feelings to their source - a place in my heart that will be with me forever. Therein lies a treasure trove of memories of growing up with Kris and his family.

I was four when I met Kris Cello, whose family lived half a block from us in east Davis. My earliest memory of this red headed befreckled kid was a kind or brotherly love at first sight, a connection of the heart that was immediate and deep. Here come the tears. Kris and I, his brother Phil and my brother Phil became like the four musketeers. We gave each other nicknames, formed innumerable clubs - the Ginkers, the daredevils club with its rites of passage like having to hula hoop naked in the street while a car was coming, even a smokers club which really pushed the envelope of daring-do for 9 year olds, until Bob Cello busted us. Our two families became like one and no Christmas was complete without a feast with the Cellos.

Kids always had a habit of asking who your best friend was. For me, the reply required no contemplation, it was Kris. We were as close as brothers. Even in high school when I was a shy kid and he was in the popular crowd, we were tight. In the late 60's we had some grand adventures altering our brain chemistry together, singing the Beatles white album, comiserating over Nixon and the war. We saw a lot less of each other in later years but the love and friendship never faded. I always sought out he and Kathy on my trips to visit my folks in Davis and I got to see his beautiful family grow. We were there to support each other when each of our parents passed on.

I went to see Kris in the hospital several weeks ago, touched his hand, told him I loved him and bid my quiet goodbye. I was able to savor the memories of him all the way back to L.A. His heart of gold spread its light to many more souls than me. I was blessed to be his friend, and I will carry that blessing with me all my days.

Brian Hughes

Kris Cello Obituary 5.20.07

On May 15^th, 2007 Kris Cello passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends. Kris was injured 10 months ago while on an annual “Kids & Dads” camping trip where he fell and sustained a traumatic brain injury.

Kris Cello was born on May 11^th 1948 in Ithaca, NY where his father was studying at Cornell University. In 1951, Kris moved with his parents and brother Phil to Davis, CA.

Kris attended elementary school, Jr. High and High School in Davis. When Kris was in 7^th grade he attended an international school in Vienna, Austria while his father was on sabbatical.

Kris met his future wife Kathy in 8^th grade, and they later started dating. Kris played football and tennis while at Jr. High, High School and College.

After high school, he attended UC Davis where he graduated in 1971 with a Bio Psychology degree. Kris and Kathy got married in 1970. A year later they moved to Alaska where Kris did construction and plumbing work and Kathy taught elementary school. After a few years Kris and Kathy moved back to Davis. Kris went back to work in the field of construction, and Kathy continued to teach elementary school.

In 1976, Kris and Kathy welcomed their first child, Ryan into the world. Soon after, they bought their first house on Miller Drive in Davis. In 1979, they welcomed their 2^nd child, Michael into the world. In 1983, Kris and the family moved into the house Kris had grown up in on Cornell Drive in Davis.

At around the same time, Kris went to work for a construction company in Santa Rosa, where he met his future business partner Bill Maudru. In 1987, Kris and Bill started Cello & Maudru Construction Company, in Napa, where Kris would continue to work up until his accident. As Cello & Maudru continued to grow, Kris balanced his professional and personal lives by finding time to spend with Ryan, Michael and Kathy. Kris was Ryan’s baseball coach and helped for many years with Michael’s soccer team. Summers were spent in Tahoe, hiking, fishing and playing music at the family cabin and winters in the snow, skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. He was also an avid reader, enjoyed fly finishing and loved playing and listening to music.

In 1994 the family moved to North Davis and Ryan went to UC Santa Barbara. Three years later Michael started at Cal Poly where he studied Construction Management & Business Administration. After graduating, Michael started working at Cello & Maudru where he was able to work side by side with Kris and experience his passion for building. During this time, Kris and Kathy began to travel more. They loved to take weekend trips to Pacific Grove and also enjoyed trips to Hawaii and Canada.

Prior to his injury, Kathy had just retired, and Kris was close to retirement. In May, before the accident, Michael had proposed to his college sweetheart Lesley in San Francisco. In July, Ryan had moved back to Davis to start his new family with Shelly and Jonah while working as a pharmacist at the UCD Medical Center. Kris was very happy and excited to see everyone’s lives moving forward.

Kris leaves his wife Kathy Cello, his sons Ryan Cello and Michael Cello, his sister Susanne Harkness, his brothers Steve Cello and Phil Cello, his nieces Stephanie Cello, Samantha Cello, Sally Cello, Christine Ragasa, Angie Carter, his nephews, Ian Clark, Brian Clark, Scott Clark, Phillip Cello Jr., David Cello, and his brother-in-law Bill Harkness.

The family would like to thank everyone for their support and strength throughout this difficult time. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 31^st 2007 at the Davis Community Church at 11:00 AM.

To honor Kris after his accident, his sister Susanne started training to run the New York City Marathon in the fall of 2007 as a medical research fund-raising entrant. If you would like to make a donation to her sponsor, you can either send a check made out to

TGL Foundation and send to GoodSage, 854 Laurel Street, San Carlos, CA 94070; or by credit card: Visit www.active.com/donate/tglingnycmarathon07/runningforKris

If you have any memories of Kris you would like to share, please feel free to post them at http://cellofamily.blogspot.com/

Big Brother 5.19.07

Big Brother

Kris was my big brother. He was the oldest of four children followed by Phil, 18 months younger, then me, 6 years younger, and finally Steve, 10 years younger. His given name was Robert Christopher Cello named after his Dad Robert, but the name Robert didn’t stick very long, and he became Kris with a K. Already he was forming his own identity and becoming an independent thinker. Our parents, Bob and Irene, moved from New York to Davis, California with Kris and Phil in tow in 1951. They set up house and lived here for a short time before moving to Santa Rosa for a year. In 1953 they moved back to Davis and Kris lived here for almost the entire time of his life, except for a couple of years in Alaska in the 70’s. Our household was pretty typical of the time growing up in Davis. Dad was a professor at the UC Davis Veterinary Clinic. Mom stayed home and raised the four kids. We lived in East Davis on Hunt Way. Kris and Phil played with the Carlson boys, the Hughes boys, Janet and Linda Hughes. Those friendships span more than a half of century. In 1959 we moved to West Davis and soon our family was off to Vienna, Austria for a year’s sabbatical. Kris and Phil entered the American International School. Kris, with his red hair and good looks, was instantly popular. In the summer of 1961 we were back in Davis and Kris was entering 8^th grade. Bam, Kris met Kathy Kirk and his world was knocked upside down. They have been together almost nonstop ever since. Kris met the Kirks. Kathy met the Cellos. Nick and Mary loved him from the beginning, including him on family adventures, Kris learned to water ski and drive the family ski boat. He was growing up fast. Kathy met the Cellos, she had to learn how to take the constant teasing that my dad would dish out, a sure sign that she was accepted into the Cello family. As they entered high school they were going steady. Kris played JV and senior football, where he was a valued player. He worked during the summers for Hunts Cannery and weekends and after school for Wingers department store and at 16 he started working for Don Gale Construction. He was a good worker and saved his money, and probably because of Kathy’s good influence stayed on a pretty straight course during those years. My memories of those years were tagging along to the drive-in, going to the A&W for root beer, riding on the back of his Honda 50. Then there were the proms and school dances. I’m pretty sure Kris and Kathy attended every dance, and their junior year they were voted King and Queen of the Junior Prom. To a ten year-old girl in more innocent times I was star struck. They looked so grown up and glamorous. Mom hosted a sit down dinner before the prom. Mike and Jackie, Harry and Gayle. All of them seemed so dashing and grown up! After Kris graduated from high school, he attended UCD where he eventually majored in psychology. He lived at home that first year, played on the UCD football team and continued to work in construction. In 1968 Mom and dad took another sabbatical to Vienna, this time with only Steve and I in tow. Kris stayed at 1002 Cornell Drive and rented it with some buddies. I’m not sure exactly what happened that year, lets just say it looked like he and his roommates had a pretty good time. He and Kathy broke up sometime in there, but reconciled after about a year or so. Soon after they were planning a wedding. They were married on August 8^th, 1970 in a back yard ceremony at a friend’s house out in Willowbank. Their next two years were spent in Davis finishing up school, Kris at UCD, Kathy at Sac State. Soon after they moved to Alaska, where Kris decided to try his hand at plumbing and construction, he put in grueling hours but loved the pay. Kathy taught pre-school and Kindergarten. The winters were hard and Kathy missed her family and friends, so after a couple of years Kathy moved back to Davis and Kris followed shortly thereafter. They rented a house over on Colgate Drive and Kris went back to working for Don Gale Construction. He was a very hard worker, always giving it his most. In 1977 Ryan was born, what a cute baby he was, their family was beginning. That same year he and Kathy bought their first house on Miller Drive. In 1980 Michael arrived with a bang, two months premature, but healthy and a fighter. He had red hair just like his Dad. Kris juggled his time between work and home. Kathy continued her education and teaching part time in Vacaville. In 1983 they purchased the house that we had grown up in on Cornell Drive. By this time Kris had started working for a construction company in Santa Rosa, commuting back a forth every day. It wasn’t long after that that he and one of his work mates, Bill, decided to start their own company. Cello & Maudru was established in 1987. My parents offered to help out with some start up capital, but Kris said no. He had saved and invested. Cello & Maudru started getting choice jobs, and developed a reputation for excellent craftsmanship. Kris’s dedication and hard work were paying off. Kris and Kathy eventually moved to North Davis and a year or so later I bought 1002 Cornell Drive. As part of the deal Kris renovated it and transformed it into something I could call my own, going above and beyond the original plans. That was his nature always wanting to do it right. As time went on Cello & Maudru continued to prosper and grow. Kris did his best to balance work and home, by this time Ryan was attending UC Santa Barbara, Michael was finishing up high school and would soon be off to Cal Poly. Unfortunately all of his hard work started to take its toll on Kris’s body. Too many years of hard labor, too much time spent sitting in his car commuting between the office, job sites, and home. His body started to protest. A ruptured disc, living with constant back pain, he spent many years in excruciating pain, but not many knew it to look at him. He still continued to work. Not quite as much physical labor, but still at the site or place he needed to be to make sure the job was being done to the standard that Cello & Maudru had grown their reputation on. All during this time Kris also played. Winter ski vacations at Kirkwood, snowboarding with the kids, summer vacations at the cabin up at Lake Tahoe. He loved to accumulate toys, a ski boat, snowmobiles, cars, motorcycles, even his last purchase of an ATV so he could go on the camping trip that fateful weekend last July. As the boys grew and left home for college Kris and Kathy traveled to Hawaii numerous times, Kris liked to golf, Kathy was happy to ride along in the golf cart. She just treasured the time they spent together. Kris also loved music and from the time he started working he began buying 45’s and albums. While Kris worked and played Kathy kept things going at home. When Kathy’s dad fell ill, Kris took on the added responsibilities of caregiver, so he could spend his final months close to them. He also managed to find the time to care for our Dad during his illness spending every 3^rd night with him for almost a year. He would have done the same for many. Kris was about family and I know he loved Kathy and the boys more than anyone or anything else on earth. He was very happy and proud of Michael and Ryan and looking forward to many family events that were on the horizon. Michael and Leslie were starting to plan their wedding and Ryan had just moved back to Davis and along with Shelley and Jonah were starting to set up their own household. I have only touched the surface of Kris. The best way that I can describe Kris, is heart, he had a huge heart. It was apparent in everything he did. Sometimes that heart could be bruised, sometimes be too quick to trust, too easily taken advantage of, but it never stopped loving. Kris was a good man, with a lot of life left to live when he was injured, and I know he would be overwhelmed by the amount of support and kindness that so many people have shown to his family over the last ten months.

Thank you,

Susanne

Kris Cello 5/11/1948 - 5/15/2007

Hello Friends,

We want to let you all know that Kris passed away last night. He was surrounded by family and friends and went very peacefully. We want to thank all of you for your support and love you have shown for our family through this unfortunate ordeal. As plans develop, we will be sure to keep you all posted.

The Cello Family