Christopher Joseph Gordon

Christopher "Chris" Joseph Gordon, age 47, of Casey, IL passed away at 1:27 a.m. on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at IU Health University Hospital, Indianapolis, IN.  He was born in 1973 in Houston, TX, the son of Joseph Donald Gordon and Gloria Susan Robinson Gordon.

Survivors include his lifetime partner, Thomas Daughhetee of Casey, IL; parents, Joe Gordon (Jill) of Friendswood, TX and Suzi Givens (Gene) of New Lexington, OH; brother, Jason Mautz of New Lexington, OH; niece, Chloe Mautz; nephew, Jaidan Mautz; Thomas’s family includes his mother, Linda Daughhetee Warner (Howard) of Casey, IL; brothers, David Daughhetee (Patti) of Casey, IL and Gregory Daughhetee (Emily) of Noblesville, IN; and many nephews, nieces and friends.  Preceding him in death were his grandparents, Celeste Carter Robinson and John Cardwell Robinson; Martha Marie Clisbee; and James Allen Gordon (Jeanette).

Chris studied Fine Art Video/Photography at Ohio University. In addition to being an artist and writer, Chris was passionate about music, film, books, and food. He reveled in having spirited conversations where he would inevitably dazzle with his encyclopedic knowledge of those topics.

Chris's love of food was sparked in the early 2000s when his beloved Tom gifted him a copy of Julia's Kitchen Wisdom by Julia Child (whose many PBS programs he would watch religiously on Saturday afternoons) after seeing him leaf through it at their local bookstore in Chicago and being taught how to make traditional Lebanese kibbeh, tabbouleh, and ful medames (fava beans) by one of their friends who is a chef. Many (many) cookbooks later, Chris never tired of expressing his love for innumerable types of cuisines (especially dishes from the Sichuan province of China) by reading about them, discussing them, and most importantly making and sharing them with friends and family.

After moving to Indianapolis, Chris went to work in the deli and cheese department at the newly opened The Fresh Market in their Meridian-Kessler neighborhood. Being promoted quickly to an assistant manager, Chris went on to help open new stores all across the country by setting up departments and training new employees. Most recently, Chris narrowed his foodwork focus to cheese, and he was a cheesemonger in New York City, educating customers and selling fine cheeses, charcuterie, truffles, and caviar in such venerable NYC food institutions as Citarella, Brooklyn Fare, and Eli's Market, where Chris had the honor of creating the cheese trolley for the store's restaurant, Eli's Table, each evening.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 25 at Markwell Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Casey Cumberland Cemetery, Casey, IL. Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. prior to the service on Thursday, March 25 at Markwell Funeral Home, 200 N. Central Ave., Casey, IL.

Memorial donations may be made to Little Wanderers NYC, a foster-based cat rescue focusing on the most underserved areas in New York City.

To view the full obituary, send a condolence message or post photos, visit www.markwellfuneralhome.com. Markwell Funeral Home of Casey, IL is in charge of the arrangements.

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