Chris Hartwig passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 28 at the age of 79. He was born Dec. 29, 1942, the first child of Hans Henry Hartwig and Joan Marie (Peotter) Hartwig. He was raised in Appleton, WI, and is said to have inherited an inquisitive mind from his father and an indomitable work ethic from his mother, as he watched them start their business, Crystal Print Inc in 1949.
At Lawrence University, he studied chemistry before leaving to fulfill his dream of working in the paper industry. He worked for large pulp and converting companies on the East Coast, eventually joining his father at Crystal Print, which by then moved to Little Chute. They worked side-by-side until his father passed away in 1976. Chris purchased the business in 1979 and transformed it from a small operation into one of the first vertically integrated flexible packaging companies in the country. Chris’ passion for his business was the cornerstone of his life.
The most important person in his life was his wife, Evie. They met in 1972 and were married 10 years later. He and Evie raised two devoted children, Dana and Hans. Dana and Hans now carry on Chris’ legacy at Crystal Print as the third generation of family ownership.
Chris’ local philanthropy had significant impact. He guided and funded numerous municipal projects including Little Chute Elementary School, Little Chute Public Library, Little Chute Windmill and Village Hall. He donated land for new parks and playground equipment and was very proud to purchase new fire trucks and police cars for the Village. Additionally, he created the Hartwig Family Foundation and the Crystal Print Foundation, and donated to hundreds of worthy causes and organizations.
He was proud to serve on the boards of directors of many local organizations, including Road America, Riverside Cemetery, Appleton YMCA, Lawrence University and Appleton Medical Center.
Chris is survived by his wife Evelyn (Zuleger) Hartwig; his two children: Hans Christian Hartwig (Appleton), Dana Christa Hartwig (Appleton) and her husband, Michael Sutcliffe, and their two children, Evelyn Louise Sutcliffe and Henry Hartwig Sutcliffe.
His family would also like to acknowledge all of Chris’ employees who were instrumental in his success, including retired employees and colleagues: Jack Gehl, Hub Hennessey, Paul Mahlberg, Jim Miller, Dan Gavronski, Bill Melzer, John Rouman, Dave Holmes, Linda Tucker, Duane Vander Zanden and many more.