Obituary of Christopher James Hirte

Hirte, Christopher James, 53, passed away unexpectedly on April 3, 2023. Chris was an amazing man with a big heart and will be greatly missed. He is survived by parents Joe and Kathie (Grealish) Hirte, sisters Dawn (Hirte) Ramaley and Beth Hirte, daughter Thea Burton, nephew Howie Ramaley, loving girlfriend Suzanne Harris and her children Emily and Christopher, and many other relatives and friends. Visitation Friday, April 14, 2023, from 3-5pm at Brings Broadway Chapel, 6910 East Broadway, Tucson, AZ. Reception details are in process; I will update here once finalized. 

Chris was affectionately known to be a little grumpy on the outside but to have a generous and kind heart. He was always there to lend a hand to anyone at any time making him the Go-To-Guy for just about everything. He was clever and quick-witted and knew a shortcut for just about anything – especially if it saved him money.

He enjoyed wearing t-shirts with sarcastic, sassy, and funny sayings, especially to impress his friends and the crew at McDonald's. He loved going to movies with the full-on experience of luxury recliners, snacks, and soda. He also enjoyed hanging out with friends and family, going to the lake cabin, fishing, swimming, motorcycle riding, ATV riding, and many other activities. His dream was to be a pilot and he was actively saving to buy a plane. He honed his skills and love for flying by operating several RC planes and helicopters.

He was especially talented at anything related to computers and was often tech support for friends, family, and work. He was always willing to share. If he had something you needed, he’d loan it or give it to you. When his brother-in-law passed away, he immediately stepped in to help with the countless chores that needed to be done but were completely foreign to his sister.

He left an impression on people, adults and children alike. Children were often drawn to him for his fun spirit and effortless ability to make them laugh. He was always up for a game of Guitar Hero or another video game with any kid. He might even let them win!

He spent a lot of time with his daughter, Thea, and his nephew, Howie, doing fun things and teaching them many life skills including how to ride a bike. He helped them get their ATV licenses, took them to the lake, gave them rides on his jetski, boat, and motorcycle, and taught them the finer points of cooking in a microwave. At restaurants, he always ended up eating the kid meal Thea ordered once she realized his meal was far better. In true dad style, he allowed Thea to put makeup on his face and paint his nails!

Early in the pandemic, he had a life-threatening battle with COVID. He suffered many complications and the fact that he survived at all is truly a miracle. His homecoming was covered on local and national news. Unfortunately, it left his body irreparably altered taking away much of his independence and making speech very challenging. This was an extremely difficult situation for a man who was used to being the one who offered help, was always hands-on, and was very articulate.

He had an excellent support team around him, including his dad, who moved to MN to take care of him. This past year and a half he was living in Az and finally seemed to have some happiness back in his life with Suzy. She is kind, caring, loving, and most of all patient. It’s a tragedy of a life cut too short. He was a great friend and will leave a huge void that will never be filled.