Christopher Martin Bristow

Christopher "Chris" Martin Bristow, born on August 22, 1935, in St. Louis, MO, was the only child of Oliver Martin Bristow and Helen Winsor Kauffman. He was raised in Alton, and lived most of his life there as well.

Chris’s main lifelong hobbies were sports and finances. As a young teenager, he spent summers working as a lifeguard at Lockhaven Country Club, and was a contributing member of the football, basketball, and track teams in high school at the Missouri Military Acadamy. After his playing days were over, he shifted to watching his favorite college & professional teams on TV to get his “sports fix”. He made watching those contests even more interesting by placing small friendly wagers on his favorite teams.

Before ever graduating from Culver-Stockton College with an Economics degree, his introduction into the financial world came from his father at a young age. He read the stock prices from the newspaper every week to Chris for the ones they owned before they read the “funnies” together. So, it’s no surprise he built a career as an investment broker and municipal bond trader. He first started at St. Louis Union Trust Company, then Reinholdt and Gardner and finally retired from A. G. Edwards as Vice President of Investments.

In September of 1962 Chris married and had three children. He is fondly remembered for his unique opinions on a variety of topics, including his food preferences which fell into three categories: EXTRA CRISPY/(practically burnt), SMOTHERED in butter, salt and pepper, or as spicy hot as you could make it. Anything else was not right! It was not uncommon to hear him ask at every restaurant at least once, “Sweethart, could you bring me some more butter?” (even if it was already smothered)!

He enjoyed his retired bachelor years and the comfortable daily routine that developed. Coffee, newspapers and lottery tickets from the local Quick Trip in the morning, financial shows on TV throughout the day, and his late afternoon cocktail hours. Chris’s dry sense of humor, friendly and generous nature, and ability to talk sports and point spreads, made him a beloved figure at all the local diners, bars, and pubs around town. He would frequently showcase his humor with a variety of t-shirts that had quips such as: “Watch, you might learn something.” or “Hide the Rum”. The wooden sign outside the front door to his house also had “humorous advice” to unsuspecting visitors. It simply said: “Come after breakfast, bring your own lunch, and leave before dinner!”

Chris will be missed by his family and the many friends that became his “extended” family over the years. He passed away peacefully on Friday January 19, 2024 at Edenhill Communities Retirement Center in New Braunfels Texas. A sports lover to the end, he had his bets placed for the weekend NFL playoff games. He is survived by his 3 children: Oliver Bristow - Alton, Illinois, Corbin Bristow (Dawn) - Maryville, Illinois, and Ann Bristow-Kippes (Andrew) – New Braunfels, Texas, and his 4 grandchildren: Tyler Bristow – Jacksonville, Florida, Dylan Bristow – Manchester, Missouri, Alec and Ally Kippes both from New Braunfels, Texas.

Feel free to send any thoughts, prayers, memories and/or photos to the Bristow family by emailing them to chris@bristow.us. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.