William Ray "Chris" Christenbury, Sr.

William Ray "Chris" "Bill" Christenbury, Sr., of Mount Pleasant, SC, passed into eternal life on Tuesday, June 6, 2017. His funeral service will be held on Friday, June 9, 2017 at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL, 1494 Mathis Ferry Road at 11:00 am. Burial will follow in Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends on Friday, June 9, 2017 from 10:00 am until time of the service.

Chris was born July 20, 1931, in Mooresville, North Carolina, the son of Marvin Luther and Ethel Lena Nantz Christenbury. He was raised in Mt. Mourne, NC amongst many family friends and characters about whom he always had colorful stories to tell. He graduated from Davidson High School in 1949. In 1950, he joined the National Guard, which was subsequently mobilized, and he proudly served in the US Army (Headquarters & Service Company 378th Engineer (C) Battalion 9th Corp) during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant First Class in 1952.

He met his wife, Nancy Jo Safrit, daughter of Henry Blease, Jr. and Sarah Ynez Holbrooks Clyburn, of Kannapolis, North Carolina, at the widely popular Christenbury-Nantz Reunion in Mooresville, North Carolina in the fall of 1952. He married Nancy on December 12, 1953, in a double wedding ceremony with her sister, Pat and her husband, William Ray (Bill) Gabriel, close friend of Chris, at the First Presbyterian Church of Kannapolis, North Carolina. He graduated from Catawba College in 1956, along with his brother Tom. They earned their Bachelor of Science Degrees in Biology & Chemistry, and made their lifetime careers with E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co., Inc.. Chris began as a chemist and went on to serve in various management positions in the areas of manufacturing, safety, and personnel. He helped to plan, staff and start up the Cooper River Plant in Moncks Corner, SC, in 1974. He retired in 1985, but returned to consult on a project for about a year afterward.

During his 30-year career with DuPont, Chris, Nancy, and their growing family relocated to Woodbury, New Jersey; Nashville, Tennessee; Madison, Tennessee; Glassboro, New Jersey; Tacoma, Washington; Newark, Delaware, and finally to the place they have loved calling home since June, 1974, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

Chris always loved the outdoors, and spent many happy hours hunting, fishing and shrimping - and most especially in the company of his fellow DuPonter and best buddy of 43 years, Edward D. (Ed) George, of Mt. Pleasant, SC, as well as his beloved Brittany Spaniels, Dixie and Traveler.

He is survived by his daughter Cathy Christenbury Valerio (Mark) of Mount Pleasant, SC; his daughter Carol Ann Christenbury Embler (Jim) of Mount Pleasant, SC; his son William Ray (Chris) Christenbury, Jr. of Rock Hill, SC; and his son Charles Blease Christenbury, Sr. of Kings Mountain, NC; seven grandchildren: Michael Cumbee, Charlie Christenbury, Daniel Christenbury, Beau Christenbury, Hannah Christenbury, Gracie Christenbury, Rachel Christenbury; two great grandchildren, and eight nieces and nephews.
Chris was preceded in death by his wife, parents, brother, Thomas Luther Christenbury, and his sister, Margaret Christenbury Lankford Wyatt.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 5900 Core Road, Suite 504, North Charleston, SC 29406.