Big brother, although we may not have grown up together or seen each other all the time. It makes all the times we have spent together so much more special. The memories I have of you are forever with me. You’ve shown me not just love, but also the courage to truly live life. One of my favorite memories was when dad was working on your car, and we were goofing around seeing how high I could go on the car jack. I remember every time dad would ask “Do you want to go out to lunch with Kris and I?” I would jump right up and say “when?”. What I didn’t realize was that those lunches would become some of my most cherished memories, a time where I got to learn about you, your favorite meals, and drinks. I am so honored to call you my brother, I know that you will always be here, watching over us P.S. you will always be #1 in my heart
Let the memory of Kristopher be with us forever.
Kristopher Thomas VanBuskirk, our Kris with his beautiful smile and contagious laugh, embarked on his final adventure on January 22, 2025. Born on July 18,1998 in Toms River, New Jersey, Kris was the kind of guy who could turn a trip to the grocery store into a memorable escapade.Kris's love for life was as vast as his knowledge of computer. He worked as an Avaya Engineer at Hunter Technology, where he was not only the go-to guy for tech meltdowns but also the unofficial office comedian.If Kris wasn't busy putting out "dumpster fires" or leaving his co-workers in stitches, you could find him yelling at the TV during football games, mastering the latest video game, or planning his next travel adventure. His idea of a perfect day was one spent with friends and family, sharing stories that probably grew taller with each telling.Kris was a man of many hats, or perhaps, game controllers. His love for his family was as legendary as his gaming high scores. He was the beloved son of Jennifer VanBuskirk and Paul Hanley, with Erick Bronstein and Stephanie Hanley championing as his supportive step-parents. His brother Anthony and sister Alyssa knew him as the invincible hero who could fix anything, from a broken toy to a gloomy day. Kris's significant other, Charlie Mynatt, was his perfect player two, always ready for the next level in their life's game.Kris's grandparents, Kurt and Janet VanBuskirk, along with Linda and Joey Cottone, and Thomas and Marti Hanley, often boasted about their grandson who could charm an entire room without even trying. He inherited his quick wit from a long line of family jokesters and his selflessness from a family tradition of loving deeply and giving freely.Those who knew Kris understood that to define him by his interests would be like trying to describe a rainbow as just a bit of light and water. He was loving, funny, and selflessly devoted to bringing joy to those around him. His laughter was a melody that could brighten the darkest of days, and his sense of humor was the life of every party.The world may be a little quieter without Kris's jokes and laughter, but his spirit lives on in every funny story retold, every game won in his honor, and every journey taken with him in mind. Kris's life was a testament to the power of joy and the strength of kinship.So, as we say our goodbyes to Kris, let's not think of it as 'game over,' but rather as him leveling up to the ultimate adventure. We will miss him more than words can express, but we take comfort in knowing that he left us surrounded by the people he loved.Kris's memory will be cherished and celebrated with every chuckle, every touchdown cheered, and every victory dance around the living room. His was a life lived to the fullest, a narrative woven with threads of humor, love, and a dash of mischief. Kris, our beloved player one, may your next level be as extraordinary as the life you've shared with us. Game on, Kris, game on.
Resting place · Ocean County Memorial Cemetery, Tomsriver, New Jersey
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My Son, I do hope you known how truly and deeply loved you were and still are. I remember picking you up Saturday mornings when you were a kid and every time asking for your McDonald's breakfast treat which you made it impossible for me to tell you no. From trying and failing to teach you how to ride a dirt bike, our lunch dates or our last heartfelt conversation while you were trying to "help me" fix Charlie's car, I will cherish and miss all of it. I am so happy that you got to travel and see the world and I'm also proud of the man you were growing into. I am devastated about the future that could have been with our relationship but I will always treasure the times we had. Although you are gone from us, you will always be in everyone's heart, forever loved, extremely missed and never forgotten. Love always, Dad.
I knew you were special from the moment I met you. You were so kind and patient helping me come out of my shell. I fell head over heels for your infectious laugh and sweet smile, and that loving, selfless personality. You made every day special, whether it was a routine day going to work and coming home, or getting to spend it off together relaxing around the house or going to the store. I never imagined being able to experience some of the things we did together, from going to sporting events to the bigger trips like Vegas and the Cruise. You made every moment of those trips special. Going to the football games together was my favorite. Despite being a Raiders fan, you showed me just as much love and excitement for the Broncos because you were happy to share your love of football with me. The games we went to happened on such miserable days— The Jets game being so rainy, and the Bills game being in the freezing cold and some snow after getting up at 4am to drive for almost 8 hours to make the game. Despite all of that, I had so much fun with you and I’ll always remember those as my favorite experiences. You were also so supportive when I started getting into hockey, and I loved learning about and watching it with you. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without you. I have grown so much as a person and I’ve gotten to try so many new experiences and get out of my comfort zone because of you. You may be gone, but you and the impact you’ve made on my life will never be forgotten. This isn’t goodbye either, we’ll see each other again and pick up right where we left off. I love you so much, thank you for being the brightest light in my life over the years.
I remember meeting you for the first time like it was yesterday ... you were two at the time. I was picking your mother up for a dinner date. When I knocked on the door she opened it and asked me to come in while she finished getting ready. As I walked in I was greeted by your grandmother. While we talked, I heard loud banging followed by laughing... Your grandmother could tell my curiosity had been peaked and I needed to see what was going on. I'll never forget her warning she gave with a serious face "Be carful of flying objects when you walk in". I chuckled. As I got to your door, I opened it and had a Hotwheels Camaro fly past my face followed by this contagious laugh. I looked at you and as we made eye contact it was like we synced up and knew what we had to do ... We obviously had to sit on opposite sides of the room while we threw the cars till we could get them to collide in mid air. After many attempts and failures, we knew the only next logical thing was to roll them on the ground at each other and have them collide that way. Still no success ... But I knew at that moment we were going to be best friends for life! I remember when we got Grand Turismo and without planning it we both went in opposite directions at full speed trying to get our race cars to connect ... We zipped by each other hundreds of times cracking up each time. I miss the nights we would stay up all night playing Monopoly. We would start laughing so loud your mom would come out and scream at us to be quiet, or the times when we would stay up talking about ghost stories and trying to see each other's auras ... We spent three straight days starring at each other trying to see our auras but the only thing that happened was our eyes got so dry they felt like they were on fire. Over the years I got to see you grow up. During that time, as any father son relationship goes, we had our ups and downs but you grew into the man any father would be proud of... I miss you my son! You will forever be in my heart and in my mind! 7/18/98 - 1-/22/25
From the moment I brought you home from the hospital, you had my entire heart. Those beautiful brown eyes and that contagious smile lit up my world. We grew up together—me, so young, and you, my best friend. I know I didn’t always make the best decisions, but one thing I know for sure: you were the best decision I ever made. You gave me the greatest gift of all—the chance to be your mom—and for that, I will be forever thankful. You touched so many lives with your kindness. You would give the shirt off your back without hesitation. That’s just who you were—selfless, loving, full of heart. I am endlessly proud of the man you became, and I’m devastated that I won’t get to see where life would have taken you. This entire situation is so unfair. You deserved the world, Bug, and it was stolen from you. I will never understand why. But this is not goodbye. I will carry you with me for the rest of my life. I love you so, so much, my Bug. Keep a seat warm for me up there in heaven. 💔💔 Love Mom 7/18/1998 – 1/22/2025