Community- It is with great sadness that I let you all know that Chris passed away last night. I had messaged his sister and she said that she read the skullbrain messages to him and that they meant a lot to him but things got bad really quickly. His family will see these so please post a memory or thoughts. I just wanted to say that I'll always remember Chris to be a kind individual and I have fond memories of communicating offline and swapping stories about toys. He will be truly missed. I'm really sad about this and maybe we can all be a little nicer today. Here is a link to the go fund me https://www.gofundme.com/Chris-Ibsen-Memorial-Fund and obit http://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/Christopher-G.-Ibsen-106064716 Cheers Bryce
Rest in peace, Chris. I always appreciated reading his posts on here. He shared so much enthusiasm with all of us, and also a great amount of positive energy.
I don’t post as much as I used to, but I will always remember the short exchanges I had with Chris, whether they be about toys, hockey, or people posting dumb shit. Haha. His toy pics got me to expand my collecting. There have been a few toys that I never would have picked up had I not seen it in one of his pics. I’m sorry that you’re gone Chris. I hope you’re at peace now.
Man, he wasn't kidding when he said his time was short. That is so sad. I'm really quite affected by this and i only knew him online on this board (and Flickr). It makes you appreciate that life is short and time is precious. My thoughts go out to his family at this time. He was a great guy and i can honestly say his collection of Japanese toys was probably the best i've ever seen. I don't exaggerate. His collection was mind blowing.
C'est incroyable ! It went so fast, too fast. Life is tenuous, hangs only by a thread and today, we are sadly it's witnesses. Rest in peace Chris. You will be remember.
"sick on my journey, only my dreams will wander these desolate moors" Matsuo Basho © Chris Ibsen His perspective always strong and direct. Zero bullshit whatsoever. May Chris rest in Eternal waves of Endless Joy. さようなら、ありがとう
I can't believe how soon I am reading this. This place will never be the same. Chris will be greatly missed. My love and condolences go out to his family. I'll always think of him when I bird watch.
Oh no. Rest now dear Brother, your war is over and you fought valiantly. Father God, I just ask that you wrap your arms around this community, Chris, his family, and friends. So many are hurting right now. So many are sad for the loss of their friend, brother, nephew, grandson, and son.. I ask you to lift all of them up Father God. Offer each one of them comfort, warmth, and solace during this trying and sad time. Be with them all. Be with them all in the minutes, days, weeks, months, and years to come. Fill their hearts and minds with joyous memories of love and better times we all had with Chris. In your son's name I pray, Amen. "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.." Psalm 91 NIV So long Chris, rest in peace and hope to see you again one day.
Rest in peace Lixx, thank you for seeing my wants list and selling me a Garumega for a great price when I first joined the board, I still appreciate it Always loved your photos, stories, collection displays, and of course, your rants. You will be missed https://flic.kr/p/X8LEoE
Chris was no-nonsense, creative, smart and had absolutely wonderful taste. Very safe to say that we valued him as an exemplary member of this board and a great, inspiring fellow-aesthete. I'm in shock and deeply saddened by this. I'm glad Chris isn't suffering now. My heart goes out to his family... I am so sorry for your untimely loss of Chris.
Rest in Power, Chris. My two favorite online moments with him were realizing he was an old school Nike shoe collector, and just how much damn Hukkokudo he had and loved. Very straight forward dude, and always with class.
Rest in Peace. Even though he talked about his fight for a while now, it's still so sudden. His line of work wasn't that far-removed from mine, so it was interesting to read his posts on the matter. RIP.
I'm gutted I didn't make the time to have one last long conservation with him. Chris's vintage photos, and love/knowledge of toys were one of the main reasons I love vintage toys so much today, and why I hung around this crazy place for so long. We talked about having a beer together numerous times, and I'm ashamed I didn't make it happen. He was always so giving with his time and advice, even to newer collectors. And I always greatly respected the fact that he was his own man, an independent thinker that resisted herd mentality. Chris's Flickr/Instagram handle-Beautification Syndrome-was very appropriate. He brought a lot of beauty into this world. Rest In Peace-
I’m so sad to see this. Chris and I had many funny and interesting conversations over the years and some good debates about toys and dnb as well. He will be missed. My condolences to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace chris.
I didn’t know you personally Chris, but my eyes are still watering to see a fellow toy nerd go. Hope you had some good times before your eyes closed forever. Rest in peace brother.
Thank you for sharing this with us, @bryce_r . I was going to have a variety box of grits (the real stuff) aent to him this week... He really liked those and complained about the difficulty of getting them up north... Haha, he actually inspired the idea for a grits burlap sack yokai keshigomu mini figure. I feel more determined now than ever to do something with that... Echoing the words of so many of you already, Chris really has been responsible for a lot of substance here, with some of the threads he started continuing to be the most active evn now , and as an older member, he is one of the only ones who continued to participate and add to the boards on a regular basis, always with strong opinions that whether you were for or against, would encourage discussion, and that’s when skullbrsin is at its best. For any of Chris’ family reading this, I can understand how some of those things may seem silly to you, perhaps even trivial, but what I’m trying to say is that he was well respected and loved amongst the community here. I’m sure that I am far from the only one who feels more knowledgeable having known him too. This was devastating news to see this morning and I hope that I conveyed my thoughts clearly enough. Chris will most definitely be missed, and although it will not be the same around here without him, his presence and contributions will remain intact, continuing to embark knowledge as long as skullbrain is around : ) I am so very sorry for y’alls loss.
Being relatively new to the SB community, I did not know Chris personally; however, I know that the connections we make here are not superficial. In a hobby as niche as our own, with this relatively small community, it is not a far cry to think that we all can make some impact in each other's lives. It starts small; first, you are just talking about the hobby and your favorite artists, but you soon realize that you have made a new friend. Many of us have created bonds that run much deeper than the toys themselves. On all accounts I've read, it seemed Chris went above and beyond as a pillar of the community, through his contributions to the site, his photography, and his genuine love of collecting which he always shared. He also served as a loyal friend to many of you, whether online or off. It is always sad when Cancer takes a loved one from this world earlier than they should have gone, and I am sure he will be missed by many. I am truly sorry for your loss. Rest In Peace, Chris
My first memory of Chris are his photos on Flickr I still remember some of his vintage mail day photos, maybe he did not know how much he influenced me as collector and especially my vintage collection, thanks to his photos I developed a taste for Japanese heroes figures with removable helmets. Thanks Chris for sharing all this time with us your tastes, hobbies, knowledge and your collection, I am not a religious person but if there is something beyond this place, I hope you find yourself in a better place in the company of your loved ones . In a certain way you will always be with us ...
When Chris said he had little time, I thought months. Not this quickly! I am heartsick reading this and hope he passed peacefully. I have always enjoyed his toy photography and his insight into the hobby. He will be missed! Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.
This really pains me to read. It always shocks me how someone can be here one day, and then suddenly be gone the next. It feels like just yesterday we had been chatting about his battle with the cancer... Lixx was a good friend, and I really appreciated him being welcoming and accepting of me despite being a newer member on the boards. I didn't know him outside of SB, but he put his personality and self into these forums. I'll miss his toy chatter, life rants, and music discussions. RIP Chris, you will be missed by so many.
Gutting news, thanks for letting us know, Bryce. Outstanding in his field... The true tribute to Chris is having a look through his thousands of posts here and his hundreds of shares on Flickr. Take the time to have a tour.
Farewell, Chris. Onto your next journey and may you rest easy friend. His glowy Detolfs were my favorite and something I aspired to emulate in my own collection. Thank you for your inspiration, Chris! https://www.flickr.com/photos/lixx/26334272031/in/album-72157647083435963/ My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. Chris was a genuine and kind person. He has clearly left a strong, positive impression on many lives here, and to me that's what matters most in this world.
The valor with which he fought this battle was inspiring, to see him lose it so suddenly fucking crushed me. My heartfelt condolences to friends & family.