Obituary of Christopher Kevin Joiner

Christopher Kevin Joiner passed away peacefully on Wednesday, 25 October 2023 after a short but intense battle with Parkinson’s Disease. While the last several years were not easy for him, he always remained positive and fought hard despite knowing the inevitable. Chris was born in Teaneck, NJ on 13 April 1954 to Jane and George “Mac” Joiner and was one of eight children. He spent his childhood attending school and growing up in River Edge, NJ where he also volunteered with the Fire Department. As an adult, Chris moved to Byram Township and volunteered coaching baseball, soccer, and was a Scout Leader with Troop 184 (River Edge) and 276 (Byram Township). Chris attended the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) where he graduated with a Master of Science in Computer Science. Chris began his professional career with the County of Morris, working in the Information Technology Division, where he would retire after 45 years of faithful service. 

Chris is survived by three sons, Christopher K. Joiner, Jr (Faith), Thomas M. Joiner (Elizabeth), and Andrew J. Joiner and five grandchildren (Christopher III, Helen, Alice, James, and Augustus). 

Chris was an intelligent, soft-spoken, and ethical (sometimes to a fault) man who was described by everyone as a “genuinely good guy”. He always put everyone before himself, never wanting to burden anyone, often leading with “If it isn’t too much to ask…”. Chris took joy in the small things in life. A family camping trip or a weekend near the woods was his ideal vacation where he could sit around a campfire exchanging stories and hitting those one-liners that he seemed to have perfected over the years. He found true happiness in nature, whether it be hiking, canoeing, gardening, or simply stopping to listen to the birds (successfully identify them all … we assume). 

Chris was a true “family-first” father who looked forward to cooking full feasts every Sunday and every holiday, just so he could see his family sitting around the table.  He was an avid Yankees and Giants fan, often listening to the radio and hand-scoring the baseball games on old-fashioned score cards and comparing them to the box scores the following morning. 

Chris will always be remembered for his good heart, his uncanny ability to connect with people wherever he went, and his devotion to his family. 

Family and friends are welcome to gather for a Visitation on Thursday, 02 November 2023 from 4:00pm – 8:00pm at Burroughs, Kohr & Dangler Funeral Home, 106 Main Street, Madison, NJ. A Celebration of Life for his family will be held for Chris on Friday, 03 November  2023 at 11:00 am, also at Burroughs, Kohr & Dangler Funeral Home, 106 Main Street, Madison, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a charitable donation to “The Michael J. Fox Foundation” for the future development and continuation of Parkinson's Disease research in hopes of one day finding a cure, in honor of Christopher Joiner (https://bit.ly/chrisjoiner).