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Chris (Cheese) Kelley Memorial Fund

A personal campaign sponsored by Steve & Leigh Kelley

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                                         Chris (Cheese), Dad/Mom, Carson Kelley


Chris (Cheese) Kelley was born in Ocala, Florida, to Steve and Leigh Kelley. He has a younger brother, Carson, and sister-in-law, Kailey. He was a fiercely independent child with a strong will. Even as a youngster, Chris gravitated toward older people and could easily carry-on conversations with adults. A sports fanatic from birth, he loved to play, talk, and watch all things sports. Being from Florida, his favorite team was the Florida Gators. The family lived in Florida until 1998 when they moved to Wyoming for a couple of years, then to New Mexico for a year, before finally settling in Oregon in 2001- just in time for Chris to start at Lebanon High School. Shortly after starting high school, he was in the football weight room trying to get the guys to call him by the nickname given to him in New Mexico, which was “Big Chief”. Well, the coach thought he said "Big Cheese" and boy did that nickname stick. Even as an adult, most people only knew him as “Cheese”. After his first two years of high school in Lebanon, his family moved to Sweet Home. He would attend the next two years and graduate in 2005 from Sweet Home High School. He loved his coaches and teammates and was very connected at Sweet Home. Cheese lettered in football, wrestling, and baseball in high school. He earned the titles of reserve champion in wrestling and all-state offensive tackle for 3A football.

His love of sports led him to pursue an education in sports medicine for a time at Chowan University in Murfreesborough, North Carolina, where he was also able to play football for two years. 

Cheese then became a baseball umpire and absolutely loved his new found career. Umpiring was serious business to Cheese, and professional development was extremely important to him. He went to trainings and classes whenever he could to improve his skills. Umpiring led him to spend half of the year in Arizona and half in Oregon. It was the best of both worlds - he loved the Arizona winters and Oregon summers.  Once when Chris was working a Reds/Dodgers Triple-A split squad game, he officiated a nearly flawless game according to his umpire friends.  He found his happiness on the sports field whether it was playing football or officiating baseball games.  Even when Cheese was not working on the baseball diamond, his passion for sports was a 24 hour a day obsession.

Fanatical doesn’t even begin to describe Cheese’s love of fantasy football. He was on several leagues and spent a lot of time choosing teams and following their progress. For the fantasy league he and his brother were in, the whole group would get together and rent a beach home for the weekend so they could be together to draft their teams. 

Cheese was outgoing and made friends easily, making lasting connections wherever he went. He had a trail of friends stretching across the country. On one road trip back to Florida with his mom, Cheese had to make stops in several states to see friends all long the way. He was loved deeply and immediately by all who knew him and will be sorely missed by his friends and family.  He was a giver with a big heart!  He will be missed by many.

You don't have to leave a donation but feel free as it will go to a good cause.  Regardless, please leave a comment and/or story to be shared with all.  You may also visit the funeral home website for additional information, pictures and stories. https://www.weddle-funeral.com/obituaries/Chris-Cheese-Kelley?obId=3965408#/obituaryInfo