I met Kris in the fall of 1995 on the second story of Edgren Hall at Bethel College in Mark Wauterlek’s room.  Mark and Kris were both hockey players from the Chicago land area and were going to play together back home.  Kris had stopped over to hang out with Mark and play some Sega Genesis.  It was early fall but Kris was already wearing a hockey jersey.  My first impression was that Kris was “all in” on his devotion to hockey.  My friendship with Mark and Kris grew over the course of my freshman year and the three of us along with Pete, Rob, and Brad lived in a townhouse on campus together the next year.  It was a mix of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois guys.  Early on in the year an emphasis was placed on health and that meant buying a very expensive juicer from Dayton’s.  Kris lead the charge to better health through juicing every kind of vegetable and fruit we could find and drinking it.  Kris was “all in” on juicing and whatever it took to be healthy.  Eventually the juicing fad faded and it was put in the closet only to be discovered at the end of the year covered in mold.  Another passion that developed was for musky fishing.  Kris’s room became lined with large musky lures.  Bait casting rods and large tackle boxes filled his room.  One crisp fall morning on Lake Johana Mark, Kris, and I were casting toward the shore of Northwestern College when a large Tiger Musky hit.  Kirbs set the hook and was able to land it.  It was a glorious morning.  Kirbs was “all in” on musky fishing.  The next year Kris and I were direct roommates at the Lexington apartments off campus.  Kris had been a small group bible study leader for underclassman and this year (his senior year) he was the leader of leaders.  In his zeal for God’s word and his commitment to Christ, Kirbs announced that he was attempting to memorize all of the New Testament and hoped to complete it at some point in his life. I don’t know if he did finish memorizing all of the New Testament but Kirbs was “all in” on his commitment and love for Christ.  When I think about Kris’s character and personality he was a natural leader and friend.  Kris had a high degree of empathy for others.  He intentionally pursued friendships with other students who did not have as many friends and made them feel loved.  He was loyal to those friends and I am thankful that he pursued a friendship with me.  When it came to his friends Kris was “all in”.

- Ted Kemen