Christopher Brightwell Conerly, Glendale, MO

Chris rang in the New Year and the start of a great life when he was born on January 1, 1962 to Iva Jean Brightwell Conerly and Richard Pugh Conerly. He passed away, at home, surrounded by many members of his beloved family and friends on September 3, 2017. He will always be remembered for his loyalty, compassion, fairness, brilliance and incredible sense of humor.

Chris was a quiet child who spoke when he had something to say. On family vacations he would often keep his own council for hours on end. With two older brothers and a younger sister, this may have been the best defense. Eventually, when Chris elected to speak, his keen observations, related commentary, along with his wryly humorous comments caught everyone’s attention.

Following graduation from Webster Groves High School, Chris went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Wabash College. His professional career began with Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, where he worked on the trading desk, specializing in collateralized mortgage obligations. After fifteen years of dedicated duty, he left Stifel to try his hand at swing trading. When the markets were open, you would find him in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, listening to Springsteen, Jimmy (not Warren) Buffett or quarterly earnings calls. He did his homework – days started early enough to get a jump on the European markets — took meticulous notes and was a very good stock picker, often conferring and competing with his father for the best ideas. He kept an amazing amount of financial information in his head and instinctively made the right call most of the time. He was also a voracious reader – whether business, biography, mystery novel or his favorite, Ernest Hemingway.

Chris did not have children of his own, but he was the favorite uncle of all eight nieces and nephews and so happy in their company – playing on the floor, painting, reading, dancing on the beach, and showing up for games, musicals, talent shows and more. He had special nicknames for every one of these kids and they (J Man, Ice Cube, Shark, Chief, Wilbur, Dufflebag, Yap Yap, and Shrimp) will miss him dearly.

Chris had an amazing array of friends – his own special band of brothers (and sisters) from childhood/school, work, the neighborhood, his travels and the race track. And, the rallying spirit of this group lifted him up throughout his life and especially during his time of need. Special thanks to Rog, Ref, Dave, Steve, Morry, the Mob, Racetrack Tony, Amy and Matt! Chris’ friends were near and far and we wish we could list them all!

Chris’ hobby was “playing the horses” but, he did so with the same informed and conservative approach that he took when buying a stock. He studied and knew the stables, the horses, the breeders, the trainers, the tracks, the blood lines and the jockeys and could instantly recall the most unusual facts about a horse or rider. Interestingly, he never rode a horse. He was an avid sports fan and knew as much or more about the teams, the owners, the players, and the coaches than he did about the world of the racetrack. He followed the Rams (until they left St. Louis), Mizzou, the Red Sox and Bama with special interest.

To sit at a sidewalk bistro with him on a beautiful afternoon for a couple of beers and listen to his spontaneous very dry one-line characterizations of the profession or inner thoughts of a person approaching was often an exercise in laughter control while he either kept a straight face or smiled, just a bit. As the person got close and you saw just how apt was his observation, it was tempting to stop the guy or gal and ask them if they really were as Chris described but, never did . . . It was almost pointless to try to be as clever. He was always a step ahead and far more original.

Chris regularly talked of finding his “Hemingway House” which, he envisioned to be a weather-worn beach shack on the Gulf of Mexico, half-open to the breeze where he could read, paint or write. If you were to look for him now, that is where he is, looking out into the distance with big waves washing up close to his shack.

Chris was welcomed with open arms in heaven by his mother and dad and is survived by his brothers, William Edward Conerly (Vicki) and Robert Andrew Conerly (Beth), his sister, Elizabeth Anne Holland (Barney), his former wife, Joyce, as well as his nieces and nephews – Jordan, Ivy, Bethany, Christopher, Will, Sam, Dacy and Claire. We are especially grateful to the St. Louis University Hospital Team and his loving caregiver, Emma Kwan.

A Memorial Celebration will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, October 20. at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church, 45 W. Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves, Missouri, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a gift to a charity of your choice or to the Conerly Family Fund of the North Texas Community Foundation, 306 W. 7th Street, Suite 1045, Fort Worth, TX 76102. The fund was established to honor Chris’ parents, Ivy and Dick Conerly, and is focused on the family’s passion for education, mental and physical health and wellness, and support for families of fallen police and fire servicemen and women. The places considered for gifts are the greater St. Louis area and the communities where Conerly family members reside.

Peace Brother!