Our family and friends grieve the loss of a cherished son, brother, cousin, nephew, and friend, Christopher Folk. We ask family and friends to extend loving support and prayers, especially to Chris’s Mom, “Kay,” and brother, Matthew, for their sudden loss.
Kay and Chris shared a close bond, a love of theatre, and a flare for anything creative. Matthew and Chris, partners in childhood, laughed harder together than imaginable, and even in their differences, they found allies in one another throughout their lives as brothers.
Chris, also lovingly nicknamed “Chipper,” was raised with his older brother Matthew in Maynard, MA, by their parents, Karen and Charlie Folk, surrounded by local Aunts and Uncles, grandparents, great grandparents, a pack of close cousins, and eventually, the three children of his adored cousin April, Tomasetti. The front door of the Folk’s home on Bellevue Terrace was never locked, as friends were always welcome, and the home was often brimming with visitors. Further extending the family, The Hansens of Concord were at the heart of adventures and lifelong memories from childhood into adulthood.
Chris loved to reminisce about his childhood, from fishing, camping, porch sleepovers at his grandparents’ house, and trips to Martha’s Vineyard to likely Chris’s favorite, acting as the Writer, Director, and performer in the many childhood performances put on by the Tomasetti and LeFreniere cousins for their parents in “Mar and Par’s” basement.
In its early conception, Chris was an integral part of Maynard High School’s student-run radio station “WAVM.” His friends remember him as a natural, gravitating to every aspect of creating various shows. Preferring to be behind the scenes, Chris was undaunted by teaching himself how to operate sophisticated audio-visual equipment and worked long hours producing and editing “Trish and Chips” productions. A photo of Chris receiving an award for his work on WAVM presented by celebrity Anthony Michael Hall hung on the kitchen wall for over 30 years.
Chris attended Fitchburg State University, rooming with his lifelong friend Justin Hansen, spending a semester abroad in Amsterdam, and eventually transferring to Emerson College, earning a Communications degree in 1995. After working as an Audiovisual Technician in the Hotel Industry for 20 years, Chris eventually shifted to working in various Boutique Hotels in the Boston area.
Chris will be remembered for his incredibly generous heart, unabashed opinions, passion for debate, larger-than-life laugh, and the sharpest wit and comedic timing of anyone you could hope to spend time with. In the company of those closest to him, Chris’s 1,000-watt personality took center stage, yet his tender and generous heart was his truest form for those of us who had the pleasure of knowing him well.
Chris was loved mightily and will be laid to rest in the loving company of some of those closest to him during his lifetime: his caring and protective Dad, Charlie, his beloved grandparents, Raymond and Alice Tomasetti, and his close friend and cousin, Gino Tomasetti.
We love you, Chris. We will do our best to know that you are not alone. We will close our eyes and let our memories offer your beautiful smile and joyous laugh. You will remain alive in our hearts forever. Friends and family are warmly invited to attend a graveside service in loving memory of Chris. Friday, October 25, 2024, 11:00 AM Southborough Rural Cemetery, 11 Cordaville Road, Southborough, MA 01772.
(Photo and Obituary via Morris-Johnston Funeral Home)
