Christian Walter Hammerle, 50, of Virginia Beach, passed away suddenly in his home on July 29. He was born in Rockford, Ill., to Walter and Charlotte Hammerle. A graduate of Norfolk Academy (1985), Chris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech in 1989. Chris then worked for more than 25 years at American GFM in Chesapeake.

In his spare time, Chris enjoyed spending time with friends, fishing and tossing horseshoes. Chris had an infectious laugh, especially when he beat his dad in a game of backgammon or was sharing a good time with a friend. Some of his best times were spent fishing on the Chesapeake Bay and at Lake Smith in his own backyard.

He is survived by his parents, Walter and Charlotte; brother, Kurt Hammerle and wife Jennifer (Weiss) of Friendswood, Texas; nieces, Amelia and Sophia; nephew, Nickolaus; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins in Europe.

Our love for Chris will remain in our hearts forever. A celebration of life to honor his memory will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018, in the chapel of Lake Prince Woods, 100 Anna Goode Way, Suffolk, VA 23434. The service will be followed by a reception for family and friends. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, MD 21403, or online at www.cbf.org. Condolences may be registered online at www.parrfuneralhome.com.