Christopher Lee Henderson

Christopher Lee Henderson age 65, passed away July 15, 2021 at home in Aptos, California with his family and girlfriend, Linda, by his side, following a very difficult battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Chris was born on February 29, 1956 at the US Army Hospital in Fort Riley, Kansas to LCDR William J. & Beverly J. (Edsberg) Henderson. They divorced soon after. It was just Chris and his mother for 6 years, though he spent much of his time with his cousins and extended family. In 1962, his mother married Mervyn C. "Jim" Brillhart, who became "Pop" to Chris. In his twenties Chris met his biological father, William A. "Bill" Fant, whom he called “Dad.”

Throughout his life, he held various jobs including landscaping, construction, and water well drilling. Chris loved nature and always preferred to be outside. He loved any and all animals, and had a thing for cars too.

Chris struggled much of his life with drug addiction, and was later diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. When he wasn't using drugs, he was funny, fun to be around, and the nicest, most thoughtful and caring person you could meet. Finally in his fifties, he conquered his addiction, quit smoking, and received help for his mental health challenges.

Chris started experiencing breathlessness and a persistent rash a little before the August 2020 CZU Complex Fire that destroyed the home where he and Linda lived in Boulder Creek, CA. Two months after the fire, he found out that his symptoms were caused by Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  

He felt the fire and AML were a form of blessing. He reunited with his siblings and cousins after being virtually estranged from them for over a decade. Chris let them all know how happy it made him that he was able to spend time and reconnect with them in the last months of his life. It was a fantastic gift to him, and his siblings and cousins that loved him.

Chris is survived by his girlfriend, Linda Vierra, of Aptos, CA; sister, Tami (Chris) Cook of Ventura, CA; brother, Pete (Shannon) Brillhart, of Ventura, CA; niece, Sara Cook of New York, NY; nephew, Tyler Cook, of Denver, CO; Guy Ropchak, of Lake Havasu, AZ; and his cousins. 

He was preceded in death by his mother, Beverly J. (Edsberg) Brillhart, and his three fathers, William J. "Bill"Henderson, Jr., Mervyn C. "Jim" Brillhart, and William A. "Bill" Fant.