SAN ANTONIO — Christopher James “Chris” Badger was summoned to the side of our Lord during the morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, from his second home in San Antonio, Texas. He was 68.
Chris was born into this world Oct. 14, 1953, in Topeka, unto the loving arms of James and Beverly Badger, Carbondale. Earnestly raised upon the pillars of the family farm four miles southeast of town, Chris acquired the valued attributes that can only be gleaned from daily hard work and positive decisions. He attended grade school in Carbondale and high school at Santa Fe Trail High School, where he excelled above all else as a diligent student of academia. Upon graduating from SFT in 1972, Chris attended Kansas State University, where he pursued degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics.
He quickly found there to be more to university life than just studies, as he became deeply involved in the campus political movement, which was as much a national defining state of the time as it was a mere local involvement due to political unrest during a time of war. During his time at KSU, Chris served on the student senate and was ultimately elected to the position of student body president. Even after graduating from Kansas State University, Chris remained involved with state politics by upholding a position as a statistical analyst for the Kansas Legislature.
Even with a solid college education and a heavy foot holding open the door to politics, Chris sought more. It was during this time he met and married the love of his life, his beautiful Lucy. Around the same time, he acquired a position as a banker at Valley View Bank, Overland Park, which was to become the springboard into a solid passionate career in financial management.
Life, wife and new career whisked Chris and Lucy away to the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area, where he found employment at the Texas Independent Bank, which held his interest for many years. Not one to be idle, however, Chris was encouraged to assist in forming a branch bank in Grapevine, Texas, for Premier Bank of Missouri, which led him to the pinnacle of his banking career.
Still, Chris sought more and left the banking world with a swift dive into the realm of real estate by purchasing Grapevine Realty, where he enjoyed great success throughout the rest of his days.
Chris was preceded in death by his mother, Beverly Jean Badger.
He is survived by his lovely wife, Lucy; three beautiful children, Johnathan Badger (Shannon), Daniel Badger (Cari), and Anna Richardson (Alex); six grandchildren, Judah, Ethen, Christian, Sara, Luke and Claire; his forever loving father, James Badger (Ardith), Carbondale; four siblings, Cindy Smith (Milton), Tacoma, Wash., Jeff Badger (Katherine), Carbondale, Jennifer Bryant (Jimmy), Carbondale, and Barbara Rush (Gary John), Carbondale; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Chris will be sorely missed by all who knew him as the passionate person he was. He was a loving husband, father, brother and son, and the truest of friends.
Memorial services will be held in Grapevine, Texas, during the coming days, and in San Antonio, Texas, March 5, 2022.
