Christopher James Belanger, 41, of Green Bay, WI, born on February 16, 1982, to John Belanger and Jane Cadieux, died unexpectedly on September 8, 2023.
Christopher was a kind and generous man who loved his family more than anything in the world. His children and grandchildren were his pride and joy. He was a compassionate, caring person who would give you the shirt off his back without giving it a second thought.
Christoper struggled with substance use and mental health challenges for most of his adult life. These demons chased him through periods of intense darkness as well as periods of joyful victory. In the end, Christopher succumbed to these demons.
Yet, even in the darkest periods of his life, Christopher’s heart was with his family. No matter how low he would be, no matter how much pain he was in, he would always reach out to his children with an “I love you” message.
Lest anyone should think that the demons have won, we assure you, they have not. Christopher was a baptized Christian whose faith was in Jesus Christ. Among his few personal possessions, sitting prominently on his dresser, were his Bible and his “Twenty-Four Hours a Day” recovery book.
If even one person who has been touched by Christopher’s life, whether in person or by reading his story, gets the help they need, then his legacy will have been fulfilled.
Christopher is survived by his children Malena (Dylan) Forner and Kale Franda; his grandchildren Marlee and Maisleigh Forner; his parents John and Mary Belanger, Jane Cadieux and Glenn Seidl; his siblings Paul (Stephanie) Belanger, William Belanger, and Samantha (Zachariah) Webster; and his grandmothers Mary Ann Richert and Elizabeth Lakenen. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends whom he considered family, along with his brothers and sisters in recovery.
He is preceded in death by his stepfather Mark Cadieux; grandparents Dean and Elaine Belanger, Bruno Richert, Lee and Sylvia Schultz, Byron and Lois Kerin, and John Cadieux; aunts, uncles, and friends in recovery.
Visitation will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 200 South Ashland Ave, Green Bay, WI on Saturday, November 4th, from 11 am until the memorial service at 1 pm. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be live streamed on Facebook using this link: https://fb.me/e/40bfzqTLk
The family is hoping to sponsor at least one person for residential treatment in Chris’ memory. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Jackie Nitschke Center at P.O. Box 1085, Green Bay, WI 54305.
The family would like to thank the community for their outpouring of love and support as we searched for Christopher. A special heartfelt thank you to Detective Craig Brey of the Green Bay police department, along with other members of the Green Bay, Kenosha, and Pleasant Prairie police departments, for their collaborative and tireless efforts in bringing Christopher home.
