Could there possibly be a nicer guy than Christopher Aaron Edler? Ask his family and friends that question and you will get a resounding “no”! Chris was absolutely delightful to know and to be with. He brightened your day and added to your life by just being in your presence. His attitude, work ethic, and passion for life and love were legendary even at the young age of 42.

Think back for a moment to the year 1977 and you will remember it as the year the Star Wars movies began which would, as time went on, become important to Chris. Yes, it was a big year, especially for Patricia (Goetzke) and Michael C. Edler because on April 11th they were blessed with the birth of their precious little Christopher Aaron Edler. The youngest of the four Edler children, baby Christopher joined his sisters, Lisa and Nadine, and his brother Michael, Jr.

Growing up in Mukwonago, it was readily apparent little Christopher was born to make friends, have fun, and brighten other people’s lives. He and the neighborhood kids rode their bikes all over the place and loved playing in the woods behind their house. As a little boy, Chris almost always carried the blanket Grandma Edler made him. He wouldn’t go anywhere without his blanket. Later in life Chris handed this favorite blanket down to his son, Christopher Jr., who eventually gave it to his younger brother, Owen. As a child, Chris was fascinated with keys and carried around a big ring of them wherever he went. Chris loved cartoons—his favorites were ThunderCats, Voltron, Transformers, and He-Man. Often at night when they were trying to go to sleep, his brother Mike would tell Chris stories about the ThunderCats. Chris loved Star Wars, and played a lot with his Star Wars figures, his favorite being the Millennium Falcon. Growing up with his sisters and brothers was a great time in Chris’s life. Nadine remembers jumping on the bed with her little brother and also sneaking bubble gum into the house against their mom’s wishes. Chris liked things to be clean, it was just part of his makeup and so he cleaned a lot as a kid—often because he worried he might be in trouble when his dad came home from work and so maybe the cleaning would help!

Chris was naturally active and competitive. He often played basketball, always trying to show Mike how much his form was improving and how well he could shoot the ball. Cars, like the keys when he was little, fascinated him and he liked working on vehicles as a teenager and into adulthood. As a teenager, Chris worked on a farm picking corn in the summer to keep busy and earn extra money. Some of that money was spent on clothes, which were always important to Chris. He liked brand name clothes and wanted his hair to be perfect. His outfits, shoes, and sunglasses had to match! Music was important to him too. He loved listening to Tom Petty.

Some of Chris’s favorite times growing up were family vacations. One of his favorite memories was when he was 13 years old. He went with his family and Grandmother Edler to the Green River in Kentucky where the family holidayed on a houseboat. Chris and his brother-in-law, Matt, would jump from the top of the houseboat into the river. The family also travelled to Hayward, WI, many times throughout Chris’s childhood. They stayed in cabins, fished, swam, played video games in the lodge, went horseback riding, and went to the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame, which they all remember was shaped like a giant muskie! The kids recall when Chris caught a huge muskie. The moment was captured in a photograph, where Chris was beaming with pride over his catch that day.

Chris received his High School Diploma from Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC). Screen printing, carpentry—primarily cabinet making and remodeling—and the Sensational Group moving company were particularly interesting and satisfying to him. The people at TSI Screen Printing were special to him and he loved them all. He loved the holiday sales at TSI and would bring home lots of shirts and sweatshirts for his family. His family fondly remembers sooo many T-shirts! Chris took pride in making sure his shirts were as perfect as possible. That’s how Chris was. His positive attitude and work ethic were contagious and motivated everyone around him. He was an expert at cheering people up whenever they needed a boost.

Family was important to Chris and he loved them very deeply. Chris met the woman who would become his wife when he was at WCTC. He and Angie had a son, Chris, Jr, which was the happiest day of Chris’s life. After many years, Chris and Angie separated. Chris reconnected with an old friend who grew up in the same neighborhood. Bek (Rebekah) and Chris eventually had two sons, Owen and Sonny. His sons were the light of his life. Although Chris didn’t vacation much as an adult, he enjoyed spending time outside with his family.

Basketball continued to be an important outlet for Chris in his adult years. Chris also found immense joy in working on his cars. His friends and family fondly remember how organized and neat Chris was. His garage was always immaculate and his tools were always in order. He also liked working out and weight lifting. Sporting events? Oh, yeah! He loved the Packers, Bucks, and Brewers, and he loved watching his favorite teams in person and on TV.

Knowing Chris, you knew how he always said, “I’m just saying . . .”, and then would proceed to make his point. Chris fondly called his older brother Mike, “Brochacho” (brother + muchacho). Other favorites were the Food Network (Chris was a chef in his own way), American Pickers, the movie Shazam, and the TV show Breaking Bad, and . . . he LOVED shopping at Menards. He could spend hours in there going from aisle to aisle.

Sadly, Chris passed away far too early. However, in his short life, he left his mark on everyone who knew him. He will be remembered forever as a bright spot in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him, working with him, having fun with him, or just being in his presence. Chris had his quirky ways of saying things and doing things but those are the very things that made him so special. More than anything, Chris loved his friends, co-workers, and especially his family and his children. Spending time with them meant a lot to him. May the memories of Chris live on in the hearts of all who loved him.

Christopher passed away on Monday, August 5, 2019 at the age of 42. Chris is the cherished son of Michael,Sr. and Patricia Edler (nee Goetzke), dear brother of Michael Edler Jr, Nadine (Matt) Gorniak and Lisa (Leroy) Mendell. Chris is further survived by his sons, Christopher A. Edler Jr., Owen Edler, and Sonny Edler, his aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives and friends. Chris was preceded in death by his grandparents, Frank C and Lucille Edler and Edward and Lorraine Goetzke. He was a beloved uncle to Moriah Sternecker (nee Gorniak), John and Kyle Gorniak.