Chad Thomas Crimmins

Chad Thomas Crimmins died unexpectedly on Saturday, April 5 at home in Nineveh, Indiana. He was 51 years old. Born on April 25, 1973, in Indianapolis, Ind., Chad lived a vibrant and passionate life that touched countless others over the course of five decades. He graduated from Pike High School in 1991 and attended Indiana University where he studied Criminal Justice. A true visionary and serial entrepreneur, Chad thrived on the excitement of new ventures. At just 17 years old, Chad began his early career as a laborer in lawn care, spurring his excitement to dive further into the construction and erosion control industry, where he served as a salesman at Nutec Inc. He then went on to start D2 Land and Water Resource, after which he started Road Fabrics, and on January 1, 2014 he achieved his greatest endeavor and accomplishment to date, becoming the President and Founder of Construction Fabrics and Grid (CFG) Inc. He built CFG from the ground up, enveloping all aspects of a business: manufacturing, distribution, and transportation. He accomplished his goal of servicing everyone in this industry. Chad was immensely proud of selling the "American Made" product by partnering with Midwest Gardening & Fasteners to create Midwest Staples and Wire LLC, quarrying rocks from Bedford, Ind., to sell landscaping ornaments through Rock Farm LLC, and building CFG Transport LLC to ship his products all over the country. He spared no expense for the best sweatshirts and hats, and everyone in the industry clamored to get the latest and greatest "CFG gear". He built his business, just like his life, on relationships. He never had the lowest price but he always had the best service. Chad was never deterred by the dollar, as he often said "they print more every day". He prided himself on honoring his commitments and he approached every opportunity with boundless energy and curiosity. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. Chad’s zest for life extended far beyond the boardroom. He had a deep appreciation for fast cars, powerful firearms, and outdoor living. Growing up, Chad spent almost every summer at Sweetwater Lake at his grandparent's house, instilling his love for "lake life" at an early age. He learned to ski, fish, and drive a boat there, molding him into an excellent boat captain and nautical explorer. Christina Crimmins, his wife of 27 years, was convinced by Chad to "take a leap of faith" to move to Cordry-Sweetwater Lakes in Brown County, Ind. in 1997, after a 10 month courtship that began with a blind-date. Chad and Christi were devoted to each other in building "the life they had always dreamed of", leaning on each other's strengths to never give up and "keep their eye on the prize". Christi was Chad's greatest champion and the life they lived was full of love, adventure, and laughter. They bought a house to be wedded in, raising their three beautiful daughters, Vivien, Evelyn, and Magdalen, in the lake house retreat and country setting. Chad and Christi's house was "the gathering spot", exclusively built for entertaining for football and basketball games, or just an evening of fun to play a game of pool, being with his people. He loved to entertain and jumped at the chance to host amazing parties at the house. His 50th birthday party was "quintessential Chad", incorporating multiple local bands that amplified music for the whole cove to hear, a Taco Truck for catering, and an array of spirits to toast with. His greatest pride and joy were his three daughters. He was their biggest cheerleader for all of their sporting events, rooting them on with his very distinct and loud whistle, alerting them to exactly where he was in the stands. He instilled the values of integrity and hard work into them from an early age. He loved being Magdalen's Parks and Rec. basketball coach, teaching everyone on the team the famous "jab step". He coached Vivien and Evelyn's softball team for many years, being the only coach (probably ever) to wear flip flops in the dirt. He loved the thrill of the game, projecting a contagious enthusiasm to win, crowning them many championships. He loved college basketball, especially I.U. He was such a joy to watch these games with, as his depth of knowledge for the fundamentals of the game, the players' experiences and statistics (even in their formative high school years), and his ability to make the exact calls just a few seconds before the referees did, created a fun and interactive experience. We often joked that maybe he should have been a sports commentator. Chad was known for his amazing breakfasts. He prided himself on making sure his daughters (and their friends) had a hot breakfast every morning before they left for school. His scrambled eggs were his signature dish, retrieving the recipe from the famous "Ralphie Cifaretto" from the T.V. show, "The Sopranos". Every summer he'd pile people into his pontoon boat for a slow cruise or his vintage ski boat for a fast thrill. He delighted in teaching his daughters, niece, and nephews how to ski, knee board, and tube, whipping them around as many times as they wanted, sharing his love of the water with them. He loved his family dearly and was always there for them no matter what they needed. He took excellent care of us and all of our needs. Chad loved to golf! It was another one of his great passions. He told us all countless stories of being a caddy at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind. He became a member of Hillview Country Club in Franklin, Ind. several years ago, fulfilling the dream of belonging to his own Country Club. He was delighted to bring together foursomes on the course, sharing his special place with as many people as possible. He also had his first hole-in-one at Hillview; his excitement for this feat was palpable. He always said, "I can't always hit it straight, but I can hit a golf ball harder than anybody I know"! Chad also loved the Indy 500 and attended just over 40 races in his lifetime, saving nearly every ticket stub from those races. Chad was sentimental; he kept every card that was given to him and all kinds of mementos. Chad had a quick mind and wit. He knew what breed of every bird was, every tree, and what county corresponded to every number on license plates. He loved Indiana and appreciated all the beauty of the state, declaring that it was one of the most beautiful states, "if you knew where to go". Chad and Christi were just beginning to enjoy their "empty nester" years, traveling extensively. Chad loved the Caribbean, creating a goal to visit as many of the islands as possible. They traveled to St. Thomas, St. John, St. Maarten, Anguilla, Tortola, and St. Croix, with St. Croix being Chad's favorite island, as he lovingly referred to it as "The Brown County of the Caribbean". In true "Chad style", he made many friends in St. Croix, being recognized and greeted by name there, even though he only visited once a year. Chad was always up for an adventure. Whether it was to float the Colorado River, a road trip to Savannah and Tybee Island, driving along the Tail of the Dragon for Christi and Chad's 25th wedding anniversary, or taking an "all back roads" road trip in their beloved van to Vermont while camping in it along the way, he never turned down an opportunity to travel. Chad was certainly "a people person"; If you met him once, chances were you were friends for life. He had an uncanny ability to talk to people and learn about them until he uncovered their connection. He could make friends standing outside of a restaurant waiting to be seated, at a sporting event in the bleachers, in line at any setting, or even when being called to jury duty. He often genuinely remarked that "he just liked people" and if you met him, you never forgot him. If he lost touch with you, he hunted you down until he could find you again. He answered every phone call and text, unless he was asleep on the couch. He made every person he talked to feel important. He enjoyed his hour-long commutes to work because that was when he reached out to all of his people, as they each had their own "time slot" for their daily call. He kept his large circle of people close to his heart, employing many of them from grade school, high school, college and beyond. Chad’s warmth, strength, and optimism were constants in his life. He brought light to others through his unwavering enthusiasm and genuine kindness, making the absolute most of each day, no matter what he was doing. His personality was infectious! His boastful laugh, gregarious smile, and "life of the party" attitude left an indelible impression on those fortunate enough to know him. He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Christina Crimmins; daughters Vivien Crimmins, Evelyn Crimmins, and Magdalen Crimmins; mother Joan Garman; father Tom Crimmins; step-mother Clelia Crimmins; brother Sean Crimmins; stepsisters, Kim Ranney and Stephanie Busselburg; numerous nieces and nephews who all loved "Uncle Chad" because of his fun and child-like spirit. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 23, 2025 from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Shirley Brothers Thompson Road Chapel, 3333 East Thompson Road, Indianapolis, IN 46227. Chad lived his life to the fullest with exuberance. To say he will be missed would be one of the greatest understatements ever. May Chad’s memory bring comfort to those who knew him and continue to inspire all who carry his spirit forward.

Tributes

Chad Thomas Crimmins

April 25, 1973 - April 5, 2025