Obituary of Christopher Mathieu Dunham

Christopher Mathieu Dunham, 73, passed away April 5, 2018 surrounded by his loving family and beloved dogs. Born May 16, 1944 to Eleanor Jones Mathieu and Bruce Sherin Dunham on Run-a-League Farm in Forest Grove, PA. Chris is the middle of five children, survived by his sister Susan (Sherry) Sherin Dunham Clark married to Dean Clark of Shrewsbury, MA and Bruce Sherin Dunham II married to Dorothy Dunham of Lewes, DE. His stepmother was Jane Adams Dunham and his brothers Wallace R. Bostwick Dunham and Gordon Adams Dunham are deceased. Chris was raised in Meadowbrook, PA attending Meadowbrook School and graduating from William Penn Charter in 1962. He continued his education at Trinity College in Hartford, CT attaining a B.A. in Religion in 1966 and was a member of Saint Anthony's Hall fraternity, enlisted in the Army Reserves, and concluded at University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business with his MBA in 1968. Celebrating a 50 year career this year in investment management, Chris was a co-founder and Managing Director of Northstar Asset Management. His career began with the investment bank W.E. Hutton and included twenty years with Schroders & Co. in Philadelphia, PA. Chris was married to Deborah Anne O'Neill Dunham, survived by two daughters and five grandchildren: Charlotte Allen Dunham Eastburn married to William Henry Eastburn IV and their children Henry Gray Eastburn and Lydia Dunham Eastburn. Eleanor Mathieu Dunham Kelley married to Scott Hendren Kelley and their children Stella Dunham Kelley, William Henry Kelley III and Christopher (Topher) Mathieu Kelley. Besides his family, Chris's pride and joy were his dogs and his 18th century farmhouse in Kintnersville, PA where he cared for his donkeys, horses, chickens as well as his beautiful gardens and greenhouse filled with orchids. He was famous for his elaborate Halloween barn parties and he held dear the importance of Thanksgiving and Christmas never wanting anyone to be alone on the holidays. Chris's interests were many, particularly sporting activities with a lifelong love for squash and aviation and more recently golf and hunting. As a young man he was a varsity letterman in football, squash and baseball, taught water skiing and attended Camp Katahdin in Maine. An avid Philadelphia sports fan, he was a Flyers season ticket holder beginning in their inaugural season in 1967, highlighted by being rink side for the Flyers first Stanley Cup Championship and he was overjoyed with this year's Eagles Super Bowl Championship victory. His club memberships included Huntingdon Valley Country Club, The Racquet Club of Philadelphia, Gwynedd Racquets, the Philadelphia Aviation Country Club, and the Saucon Valley Country Club. He had an enormous passion for building restoration, farming, woodworking, classic cars and planes. Chris's capacity for knowledge and sharing his experience with others was tremendous. There was almost no subject or challenge that he was not up to master. He embodied self-reliance and determination and believed strongly in one's ability to do and create with one's own hands. Over many years he volunteered for Meals on Wheels, a charitable service that his father supported and inspired him to do the same. He touched many with his quiet gestures and kind acts of giving. Above all else, what mattered most to Chris was family, close friends and traditions… whether to be passed on or to start new…he lived his life with honor, compassion and integrity. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 19 at 11:00 am. For details, please RSVP to edunhamkelley@aol.com or charlotte.dunham@comcast.net. The burial service was previously held on April 15, 2018 at St. John's Chapel in Huntingdon Valley. Recommended charitable donations or remembrances can be made to: Meals on Wheels of Central Bucks, 252 Belmont Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901 (www.cbmealsonwheels.org) or St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org)