Chris Schaller

Early life

Christy Lee Kieser(1) was born on December 29, 1935 in Sioux City, Iowa to Burl and Eunice Christy Kieser(2). Chris and his older sister, Patricia Ann Kieser, lived in various states and in Canada(3) with his mother and step-fathers, and with maternal grandparents and friends of his mother. At the age of 11 he was adopted by his mother's husband, Robert Schaller(4), and he took the Schaller name legally. His mother and Robert Schaller bore two children, Robert E. and Wendy Schaller, who were Chris Schaller's half-brother and sister. Chris Schaller attended and graduated in 1953 from Hollywood High School in Los Angeles. During his high school years, he wrote a sports column for his high school newspaper and began his professional sports writing career at age 16 in 1952 with the Los Angeles Examiner. He received a journalism scholarship from the LA Examiner to George Pepperdine College.

Journalistic and political career

Schaller left Pepperdine in 1956 to work as sports editor at the Las Vegas Sun, and later became city editor (1960–1961).

In 1958 Schaller joined the U.S. Army and served 6-months active duty at Fort Ord, California before continuing in the Army Active Reserves (1958–1964).

Schaller married Harriet Jones(5), who was the assistant society editor of the Las Vegas SUN, on December 30, 1961. They moved to Carson City, Nevada in 1962 where he worked as Public Information Officer for the Nevada Employment Security Department. He also wrote high school sports articles for the Carson City Nevada Appeal.

He became press aide and speech writer for Nevada Governor Grant Sawyer (D) in 1964–1967. He served as the news media coordinator of the 1966 Western Governor's Conference, press aide for the 1965 and 1966 National Governor's Conference and press aide for the Western Governor's Conference.

Chris and Harriet Schaller's daughter, Leigh Christy Schaller (O'Neill) was born in Carson City on July 8, 1964.(6)

In 1967, the family moved to Washington, D.C., where Chris worked as speechwriter and press secretary for U.S. Senator Alan Bible (D-Nev) Senator Bible identified Schaller as "Nevada's Modern Mark Twain" in 1978. Schaller was thus popularly regarded as the 20th-century Nevada Mark Twain throughout his life. Schaller reads: "To Chris Schaller—A modern day Mark Twain. Super writer and political strategist—a close and dear friend—With Warm Regards and Best Wishes. Alan Bible"

Schaller took a leave of absence from the Senate in 1970 to manage the Nevada gubernatorial campaign of Mike O'Callaghan. He resigned from Senator Bible's staff six months later to serve as chief of staff for Governor O'Callaghan from 1971 to 1979.

In 1979 Schaller was retained as chief-of-staff for newly elected Governor Robert List (R). According to the National Governor's Association, Schaller was the only person to serve as top advisor to two governors of opposite political affiliation, and was the only person to serve two terms as chairman of the Western Governor's Conference Staff Advisory Committee.

At age 44 in 1980 Schaller left the List administration to work for the advertising firm of Reber, Glenn and Marz in Reno, Nevada. He became the president of Campaign Consultants. A year later he also began writing a humorous political column for the Nevada Appeal, titled "Observations".

In 1982, Chris Schaller was the commencement speaker for his only child's (Leigh Christy Schaller) Carson City High School graduation.

He advised his daughter's high school graduating class not to rely on politicians, however he also told the class that what they thought and did about their government could make a difference.

Death, acknowledgements and legacy

Chris Schaller died on February 27, 1984 at Washoe Medical Center, Reno, Nevada. Ruthe Deskin wrote in her column in the Las Vegas SUN that Chris Schaller was "indeed a man of virtue". The headstone at the Genoa Nevada Cemetery, where Schaller is buried, is inscribed "A Man of Virtue".

Governor Mike O'Callaghan's eulogy to Chris Schaller was published in the Las Vegas Sun:

"Chris Schaller wasn't an elected official or millionaire businessman, but he probably left a deeper imprint on Nevada than has any other single person during the past 20 years." O'Callaghan went on to say that Schaller "helped mold legislation into law so we can all have a better life." He praised Schaller for his work to help other people, feed the poor and prevent future wars.

The Chris Schaller Memorial Award was created by WE CAN (organization working to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect), in 1984, in recognition of his contributions of helping to enact legislation to protect abused and neglected children. The first annual Chris Schaller Memorial Award for WE CAN was presented to Judge John Mendoza in 1989.

A Chris Schaller Journalism scholarship was established at the Schaller family's request.

The 1984 Reno Padres baseball team season was dedicated to Chris Schaller and Ray Kroc.

The Carson City animal facility was dedicated, in 1985, as the Chris Schaller Memorial Animal Care Facility.

The Chris Schaller Trust Fund was created, in 1984, to defray his medical expenses. The "Fund" held a cocktail party at the Governor's Mansion and two boxing matches in his honor.

Two years after his death, a group of friends and associates wanted to create a permanent memoriam for Schaller. They called their effort “The Campaign to Bust Schaller”, and commissioned sculptor Kristin Lothrop of Manchester. Mass. to create a bronze bust. The bust was unveiled in the old senate chambers of the Nevada State Capitol Building on May 19, 1986. In attendance were the current governor, Richard Bryan, and former governors Robert List, Grant Sawyer and Mike O'Callaghan. Prior to the placement of the Schaller bust, there was only one bronze bust in the Capitol, and that was of Abraham Lincoln.

Chris Schaller was honored for the impact that he made on Nevada for a quarter of a century that would have been difficult to match by any other person.