Christopher Edward Klesch, 54, of Bristol, Conn., passed away on August 6, 2026, after an illness. Chris will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Chris was born on December 29, 1971, at New Milford Hospital in Connecticut, and he grew up in Brookfield, Conn. He was a spirited child who kept his parents, John and Medora, on their toes from an early age, and his natural tenacity and curiosity served him well during his life. The Parker Hill neighborhood in Brookfield provided a rich environment for growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, where Chris and friends spent time riding bikes, sledding, playing games and sports, running around in the woods, and getting into mostly good trouble.
Chris graduated from Brookfield High School in 1989, where he excelled in math and science. He earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut in 2007, as well as a master’s degree in engineering management from Penn State University in 2018. Chris was an excellent high school golfer and played club rugby at UConn. Before obtaining his engineering degrees, he apprenticed in his grandfather’s machine shop in Danbury, Conn., and eventually became the owner of Capricorn Engineering, providing prototype design and fabrication service to area industries.
After college, Chris had a long and meaningful career for nearly 20 years at Mott Corporation in Farmington, Conn., an industry leader in porous metal filtration and flow control. He served as a principal process engineer for the last nine years. He was justifiably proud of the successes he and his colleagues achieved at the employee-owned company, and he held great love and admiration for the dear friends he met through work.
Chris was preceded in death by his father, John Klesch. He is survived by his mother, Medora Klesch; his brother, John Klesch; and his beloved nephews, Ethan and Mason Klesch, who will carry his memory forward.
Visitation will be held on Friday, August 14, 2026, 4 to 6 p.m., at Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol, CT, followed by a brief memorial service at 6 p.m. A gathering for Vermont-based friends and family is tentatively planned for Sunday, September 13, 2026, 3 p.m., in Chittenden County; details to follow. In lieu of flowers or other memorials, please consider donating to a humanitarian relief charity in Chris’ memory.
This article appears in August 12 • 2026.