A lovely tribute written by a dear friend of Chris, Carol Otis:
Chris Casebeer was my older brother from another mother and my very first friend, who knew me from the day I was born. He has always been and will always be a hero to me.
Our mothers were best friends, a bond forged when they were beautiful young women whose destiny changed due to World War II. They remembered where they were when Pearl Harbor was attacked and their lives changed forever. My mother, Wanda Clements Otis was a student at the Pasadena Playhouse at that time. Both she and Julie, Chris’s mother, married dashing young men who had been drafted as soldiers, became officers then found their homes close together in Altadena and Pasadena. My father, Charles K Otis, known as Chuck, and Chris’s father, Art Casebeer were close friends too. Together both couples played bridge, and were actors and directors at the Theatre Americana in Altadena.
They took summer vacations together, renting houses for two weeks every summer at local beaches. My mother adored and emulated Julie. Julie had her children first - Paul and then Chris, My mother was not sure she could have children, but after 5 years of marriage I was born, when Chris was about 2 ½. I know that we were together a lot as children.. and I have the charming photo from those days that is one of my favorites. Julie and Paul and Chris and their cocker spaniel. And me just learning to walk with my mom and our cocker spaniel Duffy.
We spent summer vacations at Laguna Beach with them. Paul and Chris were the big boys, diving under waves, exploring the shore and shallow diving for abalone in the early 1950s. To me Chris and Paul were like my older brothers bigger than life, young heroes who could conquer everything.
As we grew up we went to different schools. But got together for family events like Christmas Eve and summers at Laguna. My mom and Julie exchanged Christmas gifts and being fashionably causal about raising their children. Which they did with meticulous care.
Our lives went separate ways, and when we reconnected later, Chris remembered how much my dad loved Christmas, hosting our annual party on Christmas Eve, decorating trees, playing Santa and encouraging everyone to have a good time. One part of coming to our house was playing our slot machine. Dad bought a used nickel slot machine from an officers club after World War II. We played it just for fun. This machine went on to be an inspiration for Paul and the beginning of his interest in slot machines.
During and after high school we did not see Chris and Paul much, but heard of their exploits and admired their careers and successes. Both of them heroes to me in what they did and where they lived and they went. My mother died suddenly when she was 62. My younger sister Kelly and I stayed in touch with Julie and Art and I last saw them in 1986 when they came to my dad’s 75th birthday party.
Chris and I reconnected about 10 years ago and I experienced the rush of energy that is Chris. Well, you all know that part of the story. He again was larger than life and yes, heroic to me. He took me around to see real estate in Santa Barbara, my dream of paradise! We stayed in touch by email. I visited him a few times in Santa Barbara, met Teriana, and looked at old family photos and art work and his wonderful plants. We shared experiences and insights and he asked me detailed questions about my field of sports medicine. What I remember most about reconnecting with Chris was how proud he was of his children and how much he enjoyed being a grandfather, just as Julie and Art were so proud of him.
When Chris got his diagnosis, (which he dealt with as a hero), one thing he wanted to do was to come see me and my sister Kelly. I will cherish that gift of connection and grace and those memories. He and Teriana spent a few days in Portland, went to see Multnomah Falls and the Portland Japanese Garden. We sat on our balcony and talked, petted our dogs and ate well. Well, he did all he could to eat well and never mentioned his difficulties. We talked about memories, looked at the photos from the past, and he remembered more than I thought about those times together as children. He then went to see my sister Kelly in Bend and they later took a trip to Yellowstone together with Kelly and her husband Bruce. He shared his house in Santa Barbara with me and my sister Kelly. He invited Kelly to houses it. It got her out of the cold and back into the sun and Southern Ca and meant a great deal to her. Hero again .
I have been told that grief is the price of love. Everyone who knew Chris loved him so there is a lot of grief today. In my heart forever my older brother and my Hero, Chris Casebeer.
With love,
Carol L. Otis MD