Christopher Michael Sassak passed away on November 21, 2024. He was 75 years old.

Born in Detroit on June 27, 1949 to Alexander and Irene, Chris lived in Michigan for his entire life save for a tour of duty in Vietnam and a brief time in Washington DC. After returning home, he met his beloved wife Kristen at a prayer meeting. The two young Catholics were married in 1976 and spent the remaining 48 years of his life together. In addition to Kristen, he is survived by his children Katherine, Michael (Helga), and Anna (Jason). Grandchildren Kitiara, Cordelia, Nicholas, James, Henry and Alexander, and his brothers Gary (Pattie) and Ron (Lori), and sister-in laws Karen and Sandy. He now joins his parents Alexander and Irene and siblings Beverly (John) Wallard, Robert and Alex.

He is also survived by sisters and brothers in law Rene (Henry), Nicolas, Dominique, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Chris was a machinist, a tool and die man. When seeking Kristen's hand in marriage, her grandfather, himself also a machinist, presented Chris with a particularly difficult machining problem. He returned the next day with an impeccable solution and secured her grandfather's blessing. His work eventually took him to the mechanical engineering lab at the University of Detroit-Mercy, which he ran for 25 years until his retirement. During this time he took classes at the university to earn a bachelor's degree, a lifelong goal of his, graduating at the age of 69. The students and faculty he had worked with and helped over the years filled the auditorium with chants of his name when it was called at commencement.

A devoted father and friend, Chris was known for his sense of humor, intelligence and loyalty. He was remarkable for the patient mastery he brought to everything he took up, exemplified both by the way he would teach his children to solve problems and the many projects he undertook in his garage. His hobbies included photography and hunting deer in the forest of Ellsworth, MI.

Above all, Chris was passionately devoted to the Roman Catholic faith, which he lived and labored to understand alongside his lifelong friends in the Community of God's Mercy. On one of his innumerable pocket knives was inscribed "1 Corinthians 1:18", which reads "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Kateri Catholic Church 16101 Rotunda Dr. Dearborn, MI 48120 on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, instate at 10:00am followed by mass at 11:00am.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Chris's name can be made to the Michigan Parkinson Foundation https://parkinsonsmi.org/ or the Capuchin Soup Kitchen https://www.cskdetroit.org/