Dr. Christian Hirsch

Quiet, kind, and generous, Dr. Christian Hirsch lived a life rooted in service and love of family. A man who fully embodied his commitments, Chris never waivered in his devotion to his family and was a professional remembered for working day and night until he retired. Chris never required accolades or the spotlight and found deep contentment in knowing he always gave his best efforts. Revered by many, Chris will long be remembered as a loving father, brother, educator, leader, friend, and companion.

In 1944, the Hirsch family welcomed Chris to their hearts and home on March 6 in Le Mars, Iowa. He was the first child and was a great joy to his parents. Chris enjoyed being a big brother to his sister Cathy and brother Jim. Though quiet and introverted, he loved to study and pheasant hunt and was very close to his German Shepard mix, Count. Chris enjoyed roller skating at the local rink a half block from his home and developed a fondness for cars in his youth which lasted his entire life.

While attending Gehlen Catholic High School, Chris played for the school's basketball team and graduated with honors. After graduating from high school in 1962, he furthered his education at Creighton University. Two years later, he transferred to the University of Iowa, where he finished his bachelor's degree. A devoted scholar, Chris then earned a master's degree from the University of Illinois. After earning a scholarship at the University of Iowa, Chris pursued his PhD in Math Education.

In 1973, Chris became a faculty member at Western Michigan University, where he enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a member of the math department. His graduate students were very important to him as he was to them. Over his forty-three years with the university, Chris published several books but always remained entirely private; he was humble and quiet about his accomplishments and contributions.

Chris married his high school sweetheart, Patricia, in 1965. They were both hard workers and moved nineteen times in their first sixteen years of marriage. No matter where they lived, they proudly tended to their homes and yards. They were blessed with three daughters: Emily, Anne, and Jenna, to whom Chris was deeply committed. After 25 years, they decided to go their separate ways.

As a father, Chris instilled his love of education and enjoyed long bike rides with his daughters. Meticulous and frugal, Chris diligently worked to provide the best for his family. The family enjoyed the comforts of living in great neighborhoods, and the girls attended excellent schools. He was proud to afford all three of his daughters' educations at the University of Michigan. He was incredibly proud of his girls' academic accomplishments, including Jenna graduating from Harvard Medical School.

A workaholic, Chris was very driven and had little time for hobbies except for his lifelong love of sports cars. He served on the Board of Directors for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and received a lifetime achievement award from the organization. One of Chris’s greatest contributions was the creation of Core Plus Mathematics that changed the approach to high school math education. He received 3 consecutive National Science Foundation grants that funded his work. The Core Plus Mathematics program was a source of great pride for WMU. For two years, he served on the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. Chris returned to WMU until he retired in 2016. Chris touched the lives and mentored dozens of graduate students and early career professors who speak very fondly of his support. His contributions have been honored with the creation of the Christian Hirsch Endowment at WMU.

Chris lovingly refurbished his white 1974 MGB, which he proudly took to a couple of car shows and won second place. He currently enjoyed owning a 2015 Porsche Cayman. His cars were always kept perfect, which meant they were only driven on perfect weather days. He loved looking at cars, and his girls fondly remember enjoying looking at cars together, followed by their dad taking them to Dunkin' Donuts. He attended tons of car shows and was delighted to tour both the BMW and Porsche factories.

In 1987, Chris met Ingrid Davis at a singles dance in Grand Rapids. He asked her to dance, and they had a connection that soon blossomed. They never married but remained a couple, enjoying many wonderful memories. Chris and Ingrid both loved learning about different cultures and customs of countries, which led to great travels. They loved exploring Washington D.C. during the two years they lived there and traveled a lot for work in Chris' later years. Many international conferences were attended, which usually included great side trips. He was in Russia when the wall was torn down. Closer to home, the couple enjoyed canoeing up north.

Chris was blessed with 8 grandchildren: Sabrina, Sydney, Sophie, Christian, Allegra, Maximilian, Ella and Lucy. As with his daughters, he was very involved with them. His greatest desire was to ensure that all his grandchildren received excellent educations. Chris shared his love of music with his grandkids, taking them to many musicals and often listening to his favorite songs with them. He especially liked the songs Only for You by John Denver and John Silbar and Larry Henley's epic Wind Beneath My Wings. He enjoyed vacationing with his grandchildren on Martha’s Vineyard and in Naples.

Without a doubt, Chris' heart's delight was his children and grandchildren. He was always concerned for their wellbeing and stayed involved and close. In early May he suffered a stroke from which he never recovered. His final weeks were spent in the good company of his family, which brought him great comfort. He was able to share his final moments surrounded by those he so dearly loved.

Clearly, life feels far less certain in the absence of Chris' steadfast companionship. As we celebrate his extraordinary life, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying his legacy forward. In each moment we share our gifts and talents in service of others, travel with our beloved, cheer on our loved one's endeavors, enjoy driving a favorite car or the company of a dog, or confidently face life's challenges, we keep Chris' spirit alive and inspire others as he so inspired each of us.

Dr. Christian R. Hirsch, at the age of 80, died on May 30, 2024 surrounded by his family. Cremation will take place. Mass will be celebrated Friday, June 14, 2024, 11 AM at St. Thomas More Parish. Lunch will follow in the church hall. Celebrate Chris’ life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the Christian R. Hirsch Mathematics Education Endowment at WMU. Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49009. (269) 375-2900.