Christ is Carpenter at SHSU
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John James Christ III in the carpenter shop at SHSU. |
Even though he doesn't pronounce his
name the way you might at first expect, John James Christ III,
a carpenter at Sam Houston State University, carries it proudly.
He pronounces it to rhyme with "wrist,"
which is also the way his German ancestors would have said
it--as in Jesus Christus.
His daughter, Emily, 7, goes to a Christian
school, Alpha Omega. His wife, Kenda, is nearing completion
of her criminal justice degree at Sam Houston State and hopes
to work in victim services.
He and his family are Lutheran.
He's heard his share of what some might
consider inappropriate jokes--when he was in public schools teachers
sometimes mispronounced his last name and classmates tried to
be funny by calling him "Christ the Lord" and "Jesus."
"It didn't bother me at all," he
says.
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| Entertainment center John Christ made for his parents. |
His family came to this country from
Germany in the 1800s, and that's about as close as he can guess.
They were blacksmiths and carpenters and it's all he ever really
wanted to do.
When he was 7 he crafted his mother
a key holder from a piece of wood, using a hacksaw. By the time
he was 12 he had his own table saw. Since then he has built virtually
every piece of furniture in his and his parents' homes.
Now 38, he moved to Huntsville with
his parents when he was 13. He graduated from Huntsville High
School in 1986 and went right to work in carpentry-type jobs,
first in a machine shop, doing home remodeling, and hiring on
at Sam Houston State in 1992.
He is the only university carpenter
who works for Residence Life, but there are other carpenters
who work in the classroom, lab, and office areas.
His work includes replacing doors,
repairing broken cabinets, building and rebuilding walls, sometimes
installing carpet or ceramic tile, minor plumbing and electrical
work, and even "little bit of painting."
"I like my job," he says,
and sounds really sincere. "Some people say they hate to
get up every morning. I like it here."
About the only hobbies he could come
close to claiming are fishing and camping, but he just mostly
enjoys building things, even when he's not at work at the university.
He likes what he does and is proud
of his name.
"I think it's a plus," he
says. "No matter where you go it turns heads. I've enjoyed
having the name."
—END—
SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
April 3, 2007
Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu.
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