Truman E. Christopher died in his home on October 3rd in the care of his loving wife and daughters.
In 1963, Truman Christopher was chosen “Best All-Around Senior Boy” out of a class of 350 at Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas. It was no surprise to anyone because he was a good student, class officer, and loved to go to the lake to water ski. He was known to take his purple GTO to “Yellow-Belly Drag Strip” every now and then. Truman was the only child of Truman W. Christopher and Mary Francis Aday Christopher. Like many only children, he compensated for that by making good friends who remained close their entire lives.
Because Truman was smart, strong and fast he was a gifted Football lineman. His high-school principal said “if he had only been meaner, he could have been an All-American.” But there was never a mean bone in his body. Even so, Truman was offered football scholarships to major universities across the country. He accepted the offer, however, from SMU. He chose SMU because his mom said she couldn’t bear to lose him, and his dad bribed him a bit with a brand-new white Impala convertible.
At SMU, Truman pledged Alpha Tau Omega and majored in business. In 1967, his senior year, the SMU Mustangs won the Southwest Conference, and he played in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Truman and his wife, Myra, both went to Kimball High School, unfortunately they were not “high school sweethearts.” In 1969 mutual friends connected them at a dinner party. After a year. Truman married Myra and her two year old daughter, BK. At the end of his life, Truman said one of his proudest and happiest moments was when he adopted BK and his youngest daughter, Branden, was born. He was the perfect “girl’s dad” – patient, kind, generous, forgiving, and loving.
In 1975, Truman bought the Interstate Battery franchise in Kansas City and moved the family and his mother-in-law, Juanita, to Fairway, KS. Their lives were busy and complicated. Truman was starting the business; they were managing two growing girls, and shortly after their move, Juanita was diagnosed with a rare cancer and died in their home. During all this, Truman always found time for Myra, his girls and their friends.
He coached BK’s softball team, was a timer for every swim meet (and there were many), took them and their friends to haunted houses at Halloween, was a judge at the Roesland Panther’s Field Day and always said how lucky he was to have smart and beautiful daughters. For them Truman bought “girl cars” and “fixed them up” with just the right wheels and accessories. He knew the importance of having a sweet ride. When they called to say they had been in a wreck, he always asked, “Are you OK? Was anyone hurt?” and then said, “It’s just a car. I’ll be right there!” He also loved their friends like they were his own. Both BK and Branden shared their father’s love of boating and weekends were full of picnics, water skiing, and sports.
The Christopher’s house was always full of the girls’ friends, and he loved those kids and the hustle bustle that came with them. He was always an engaged father. When he went to the first 7th grade YMCA football game to watch BK cheerlead, he was worried that the boys were not being taught “the basics” and could easily get hurt; so, he offered to coach and did. When Branden’s birthday and Halloween coincided, he dressed in a costume, hosted the Halloween party and took all her friends’ trick or treating. At Christmas he lighted the house so that it looked like the Plaza lights.
In 1986, when Myra became Executive Director of the Center for Practical Bioethics, a fledgling non-profit, the founders could have hired Truman too. He set up chairs and tables for events, transported guest speakers, hosted dinners for potential donors and sometimes wrote a check himself to pay the Center’s rent. He was always there. Myra has said to many, “He was our Joseph; he was the touchstone in our lives and proud to stand in the background.”
In 1997, BK and her husband had a little boy, George Shelby Story, Jr. Being a grandfather was a gift to Truman. He learned how to diaper a baby which he had never done before and insisted that George spend Tuesday’s and every Saturday night with him and Myra. As George grew, Truman bought an outdoor play set that Myra said cost more than her car. He took George on “field trips” to the caves, junk yards, the zoo, fishing, and to see the Royals and the Chiefs play. When he was a baby George called Truman “My Big Daddy.” As he grew up, it shortened to just “Big Daddy” who ultimately coached George’s football team in grade school. Later, Truman went to those boys’ football, soccer and lacrosse games and had the opportunity to watch them become men.
Unfortunately, Truman had a heart condition and was also diagnosed with a rare heart disease. He enrolled in a clinical trial even though he thought it would not likely help him it could possibly help others. After a prolonged hospitalization, Truman came home with hospice care on October 1st. The days were filled with visitors and phone calls from across the country, including his high school mates, work friends, neighbors, and older and younger friends. His last day was capped off by his beloved Chiefs beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He passed peacefully the morning of October third with his loving wife of 52 years and his daughters in his care.
Truman leaves behind his wife - Myra Christopher, daughters - BK Christopher (Tony Wissel), Branden Christopher (Brian Brockman), grandson - George Story, “bonus grandchildren” - Nick, Mac and Carleigh Wissel, sister-in-law – Dianne Etheredge, nephew – Elliott Etheredge, niece – Megan Etheredge Sells, their spouses and children.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Community Christian Food Pantry, The Lyceum Theater, and the American Red Cross.
On Wednesday October 12th from 5-7:00 p.m., there will be a reception at Indian Hills Country Club in Mission Hills, Kansas. On Saturday, October 15th at 1:00 p.m., his funeral service will held be at the Lyceum Theater in Arrow Rock, Missouri.
