Mr Chet Chet LaMont Caffey

Chet was a bright and inquisitive young boy. He showed an early entrepreneurial spirit. An early endeavor was to collect garter snakes and sell them to his friends. As he got older, he would salvage radios, TVs, and then computers that people discarded and create working models by recycling parts and occasionally buying new replacements to create refurbished models to give to his friends. He was often sought to help friends fix various electronics. When he got older, Chet worked at a gas station and learned a great deal about basic mechanics. The station owner entrusted him with many repairs to his customer’s cars. Chet dropped out of high school, but did take some computer classes later at Eastfield College. His instructors encouraged him to take more advanced classes because of his high level of knowledge with regard to computers. Life got into the way of continued college courses, but he continued to remain computer (and electronics) knowledgeable for many years. As a young man, he taught himself to play guitar and became quite good. He eventually completed his GED in his early forties. Chet got married for the first time to Donna Carter at a young age and they had a daughter, Sunnie Nicole before their marriage ran into trouble and they divorced. Over the next several years he worked various construction jobs including residential remodeling and commercial construction. Years later he met his second wife, Jamie Boothe, and they had a baby girl, Zoe Nicole. A few months before Zoe was born, Chet had an accident at work that affected him for the rest of his life. He fell down a flight of wet stairs while carrying a bag of cement and badly hurt his back. Five or six years later, he had additional health issues. A probable stroke led to a diagnosis of Parkinsonian syndrome. Chet suffered for many months with basic communication, and a need to be in constant motion. There was a time when he needed help with basic life tasks of eating and bathing. His wife Jamie helped him through that difficult period. Suddenly, one day he began to come out of that condition. Chet began talking normally again, did not need to be in motion, and could do things like get items out of the cupboard. At this point, he developed an enormous appetite for sweets. Over the previous months he had lost over 70 pounds. As he got better, he gained almost 150 pounds in a short period before his needs for sweets subsided. As Chet got better, unfortunately his marriage with Jamie deteriorated and she left with Zoe. Chet has always expressed his gratitude for Jamie’s help through those difficult years, but missed Zoe very much. Chet lived a simple life after Jamie and Zoe left. He visited friends, occasionally caught Killjoy performances in the local area, and looked forward to Grove rat get togethers. Chet loved his daughters and granddaughters very much. Sunnie has given him three granddaughters, Chloe Grindele, Shyann Sutterfield, and Shaelyn Sutterfield. Zoe is still in high school. He is survived by mother and step-dad, Mary and Eric Pearson; brother Shannon Caffey (Cecelia); sisters Len(Lenora) Caffey, and Laurie Waligora (Jay); nephews and nieces Lisa and Marci Morkey, Kyle and Tiffany Waligora, Ashly and Zack Zmolek, Kenney and Kelli Mann, James Aaron Caffey, Angela M. Caffey; seven great nieces and one great nephew; He is also survived by over 100 cousins, numerous aunts and uncles, and a host of other family and friends. Recently Chet was looking forward to feeling well enough to get back to work, wanted to take a trip to Colorado, and hoped to move out to the country near his sister, Laurie and her husband. He was looking forward optimistically.