WTony

I just learned the very sad news through facebook that Chris was killed in a motorcycle accident yesterday. Please pray for his family during this tragic time.

Greg B.

I am sorry to have to report that Chris Witt has died as a result of a motorcycle accident last evening. This is reported by his wife Angela via a post on his Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/chris.witt.549?pnref=story


Chris was a member of the original version of the Olds mail list from its early days, and contributed a tremendous amount over the years to our knowledge base. He was a member of the Classicoldsmobile.com forums under the user name "Octania" and has remained very active here. For many of us he was an invaluable source of both parts and advice. For those of us who have been around the online Olds community for the last 20 years or so he was an irreplaceable contributor.


His wife Angela will need our help and support over the next while. If you knew or dealt with Chris, please consider doing what you can for her.

wr1970

Dang i was hoping it wasn't true on the ROP site. RIP Chris you will be missed here on classic olds. Prayers sent to wife and family.

edzolz

A great stand up guy. I bought and sold many parts from and to him. His wife is going to need lots of help sorting out his cache of parts and cars. RIP

oldcutlass

OMG, my sincere condolences to his family. This is a sad day to all.

allyolds68

That's terrible. Great guy. He's helped me a ton.

vette442

Sorry to hear that. Chris was a regular presence for all the years I've been on the various forums ( since the late 90s) and we've done business a couple times. Condolences to his friends and family.
Terry

2blu442

My prayers go out to his family. Yes, I too drew from his experiences and all he has added to this hobby. RIP Chris.

oldsmobiledave

RIP fellow Rocket Man. Deepest condolences to family and friends.

Jamesbo

So Sorry to hear this. He was a great guy. Please let us know what we can do for his wife

Indy_68_S

Tragic.
He provided a ton of helpful info here....and I'll miss his sometimes snarky posts.
My heart goes out to his family and friends.

lshlsh2

Very sorry to hear. He will be missed. saying prayers for the family.

anthonyP

Thank you Tony for letting us know about Chris. Will say a prayer for him and his family.

anthonyP

Always sad news to hear. Will say a prayer for him and his family. RIP

Koda

Ah, damn. One of my favorites here. Godspeed, bud.

70-442-W30

This is terrible news. You could tell he always knew his stuff and definitely had a good time with his zany sense of humor. Prayers for his family and friends having to say goodbye to him. RIP Chris.

jaunty75

Can what's been posted be read by anyone, or do you have to be his "friend?" If the latter, it seems a little creepy to send a friend request to a dead person. I couldn't see anything about it when I clicked on the link just now.


Overall, very sad to hear.

timholliday

Horrible news. Thankful that I was able to benefit from his knowledge on this forum though the years. He will be missed.

joe_padavano

Oh my god! I've known Chris on line since the late 1980s on the original Chebecto listserver. Chris was singlehandedly responsible for compiling much of the data on the Olds FAQ. We unfortunately never got to meet face-to-face. He was one of the most knowledgeable members of the community. He will be sorely missed.

76olds

Terrible News. I never knew Chris but have read so many of his posts over the years. Its heart felt even thou I never spoke with or met him.
Our condolences go out to his wife and family.
Very sad day for our forum.
Please let my wife and I know if we can help out in any way.

Eric & Christine

costpenn

And just like that - another light goes out. Godspeed Rocket Man.

wr1970

Chris was involved in 442.com FAQ data also.

joe_padavano

Isn't that what I said? It was the Olds FAQ long before it was "appropriated" by 442.com and their commercial owner. Chris personally researched much of the casting number and part description info in that FAQ. His, ah, acerbic sense of humor sometimes caused misinterpretations of the data by folks who didn't get it, but the data is based on parts cars he personally collected on the north 40.

Greg B.

I was/am able to see it and I had never been to the FB page previously. Certainly did not/would not send a friend request to his grieving widow. Not sure why you could not read what I saw. Can anyone else see it?

citcapp

Sad news. Chris's death is a huge loss for his family and to the Olds community and all his friends. RIP Chris.

Greg B.

Hi Joe, long time no chat. Chris was one of the people like you who helped the old Chebucto Olds list become such an important resource way back when. Luckily I did get to meet him a couple of times when I visited Lansing and he was almost exactly like what I expected - fun, knowledgeable, and energetic. In his early days on the old mail list I had to privately ask him to slow down the posting because he was just overwhelming people with all of what he had to offer. And then later on he kept us in absolute stitches with both his annual April 1st spoof posts, and his tales of dealing with the then-new burden of barely-English-speaking email scammers, whom he could lead along in the most hilarious ways.

This news really hit me hard this morning, even though I had not dealt with Chris for a few years. I feel so bad for his family.

don71

Deeply saddened to hear of this news. Always a stand up guy with me.Prayers to his family.

66-3X2 442

Terrible news,just terrible.He had a crazy sense of humor that will be missed. RIP my Oldsmobrother.

CRUZN 66

Condolences to the family... Sorry to hear the sad news...

Olds24

Very Sad to Hear! Valued Member of Olds Community for sure! RIP

Inline

My condolences for his family

66trakpak

Very sorry to hear.

oldspackrat

So sad for his family. Only met him a couple times but he would go out of his way to help you out.

joe_padavano

Greg,

I didn't realize that was you on this site. Good to hear from you. As the old saying goes, we unfortunately only get together at weddings and funerals.

For those who don't know, Greg set up and ran the Chebucto listserver that was the granddaddy of all Oldsmobile on-line forums.



Chris was a major contributor then as now.

dnmfranco

So sorry to hear this, Chris I truly enjoyed your quirky sense of humor and personality. Most of all I will our phone conversations regarding 68's our common love. RIP we lost a really good guy and Olds info source.

dalilama

Very sad news. He was one of the first people to help me out when I joined this board. My thoughts go out to his family. I'll especially miss his expertise and humor.

ELY442

Prayers and hope to the family.

redoldsman

RIP Octania. I never met or corresponded with him but I always admired his vast knowledge and his unique personality. He will be missed by many. Condolences to his family.

tva442

Sad news and condolences to his family. Though did not know him personally, read many of his posts and he was also truly upstanding in parts dealing. Godspeed Rocket Scientist !

jeff in colorado

That is very sad, and a great loss to this community as well as many others I'm sure.
Prayers for his wife and family.