Christopher Alan Baron, 41, entered this world with a smile on his face on May 22, 1980 in Buffalo, New York and departed it on August 30, 2021 in Prescott, Arizona after sharing all the love he had to give.
Chris grew-up in Buffalo and attended City Honors School, West Seneca West Senior High School and Buffalo State College before deciding to pack up his car and head west to Arizona (coincidentally, his family purchased their first snowblower when he left home). Once in Arizona, he quickly made many friends and impressed with his seemingly limitless energy, strong work ethic and willingness to help others. He eventually found his professional calling working in the Property & Casualty Insurance industry, working for Progressive and later State Farm, where he able to apply his skills helping protect others and providing support through difficult situations. He continued his professional development gaining licenses in Life & Health and Securities giving him more opportunities to help others. In spite of having a “desk job”, you could also find Chris running out the door to help a customer with car troubles, helping coordinate a community event or staying late to re-paint a wall, replace lightbulbs or a variety of other tasks. When asked how such a little man had so much energy he often exclaimed “I am BIG!” while standing like Superman and flexing both his arms. To those who knew Chris, he was Superman and so much more.
He is survived by his cherished “little family” – husband, Garrett Bonillas, and their two Wheaten Terriers, Maggie and Finn. They had the good-fortune to meet one another at a “Friendsgiving” dinner hosted by friends, fell in love and eventually married on December 31, 2016. They spent many happy years together whether traveling the world, hiking, working on a project at home, visiting with friends or family or out on one of their many road trips with their two pups. Chris would often say he never thought he would get to experience the love he and his husband had together; he will be dearly missed but their love will live on.
He is also survived by his mother, Katherine Repine (husband, Wayne); father, Glenn Baron (wife, Bonnie); grandmother Dorothy Hall; brothers, Paul Baron (fiancé, Kristy), Justin Baron (wife, Keisha), Mark Baron, and Chet Baron; aunts, Carolyn Hillman (husband, Mark), Suzanne Peters (husband, Ron), Sandie Potfora, Claudia Payne (husband, Kirk), and Beverly Heinen; uncles, Carl Volkenner (wife, Laurie), Tom Volkenner, Mike Baron, and Thomas Alf (wife, Mimi); cousins, Wendy Hillman, Mindy Cutlip, Kristina Pattison (husband, Rob), Cody Peters, Courtney Gleeson (husband, Dillon), Max Smith, Skyler Smith, Carolyn Watson, Barbara Clabeaux, Craig, Jeffrey, William Jr., Karla, Sami, Bobby, and Mikey; nieces, Chelsea Baron and Natalie Bennett; and nephew, Cooper Baron.
He will also be missed by his in-laws who became his second family in the desert – Christine, Bradley and Samantha Johnson; Gabrielle, Raymond, Theresa and Reuben Bonillas; Garrett and Oliver Williams; Tonalee Burrus; and Blake and Conor Burrus-Freeman.
He is preceded in death by his beloved family members James “Jimmy” Alf, Al Alf and Doris Alf, Francis “Frank” Volkenner, Katherine Volkenner, Chet Baron and Susan “Sue” Baron, William Heinen, and Baby Thomas Pattison.
Viewing services for Chris are scheduled for Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 2:00 pm at Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery in Mesa, with Services beginning at 3:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to jedfoundation.org in his honor.
Your mother out law will miss you until the end of time. I will keep you in my heart and always remember how much fun you and I always had together ! Rest In Peace my love 💕🦋
You will be missed dearly my little buddy! Always there to help like you were when I had my surgery last year and you came over everyday to check on me and do little odds and ends around the house for me. I will always cherish having you with us in Hawaii a couple of years ago and will never forget the look on your face after you and Garrett kayaked in the ocean for eight hours. We love you my boy. Rest In Peace!
Chris had a Contagious smile. His smile and words were so genuine and caring. He always was concerned about you, when He would ask you a question, he really listen to what you had to say, and always had positive advise. He will be missed 🙏🏼
RIP CHRIS 🙏🏼
Chris, you rescued me from the gutter and showed me how to live again, how to have friends again, and how to function again. You showed me many kindnesses and marvels from NYC to a happiness I never knew existed. I don’t think I would have survived in that city without you, or in life. You were and are one of the most important people in my life, and that will remain true until the end of time.
I have always deeply cared for you and your family, and I am so grateful that you choose to spend some time with me on this rock. I am deeply honored that I knew you. I regret not being able to share more time with you, but I am so relieved that you have had such a wonderful life. You traveled the world in happiness and love, you got married to someone who loved you deeply, you had rich and wonderful relationships with your friends, and you built a wonderful life. It is everything I ever wished for you, and I am so pleased that you got to experience so much life.
I am sure going to miss you, Chris. Though this short comment doesn’t do justice to the magnificence that is you, I will always remember you.
Travel well knowing everyone that ever met you deeply honored and loved you.
Your mother out law will miss you until the end of time. I will keep you in my heart and always remember how much fun you and I always had together ! Rest In Peace my love 💕🦋
You will be missed dearly my little buddy! Always there to help like you were when I had my surgery last year and you came over everyday to check on me and do little odds and ends around the house for me. I will always cherish having you with us in Hawaii a couple of years ago and will never forget the look on your face after you and Garrett kayaked in the ocean for eight hours. We love you my boy. Rest In Peace!
Chris had a Contagious smile. His smile and words were so genuine and caring. He always was concerned about you, when He would ask you a question, he really listen to what you had to say, and always had positive advise. He will be missed 🙏🏼
RIP CHRIS 🙏🏼
Chris, you rescued me from the gutter and showed me how to live again, how to have friends again, and how to function again. You showed me many kindnesses and marvels from NYC to a happiness I never knew existed. I don’t think I would have survived in that city without you, or in life. You were and are one of the most important people in my life, and that will remain true until the end of time.
I have always deeply cared for you and your family, and I am so grateful that you choose to spend some time with me on this rock. I am deeply honored that I knew you. I regret not being able to share more time with you, but I am so relieved that you have had such a wonderful life. You traveled the world in happiness and love, you got married to someone who loved you deeply, you had rich and wonderful relationships with your friends, and you built a wonderful life. It is everything I ever wished for you, and I am so pleased that you got to experience so much life.
I am sure going to miss you, Chris. Though this short comment doesn’t do justice to the magnificence that is you, I will always remember you.
Travel well knowing everyone that ever met you deeply honored and loved you.