BROOKLIN — Carl Christopher Angell, tennis professional at Ellsworth Tennis Center and an employee of The Brooklin Inn, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, April 26, 2012, at Massachusetts General Hospital. Chris was 39 years old. For the past 20 years Chris struggled with mental illness and had been recently discharged from Riverview Psychiatric Hospital.

Chris grew up in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. His Little League team, the Pirates, was 20-0 in his last year and he batted .586. He began his tennis career early, competing in USTA Mid-States tournaments for 12’s, 14’s, 16’s and 18’s and ending his junior career as the number one Mid-States player in the 18’s and under. He led his Voorhees High School tennis team at number one singles for four years.

Recruited as a scholarship athlete for Indiana University, Chris played third singles on their tennis team his freshman year and moved to first singles as a sophomore and junior. He was honored as the All-Big Ten First Singles player his junior year.

With the help of his coach, he transferred to Clemson University for his senior year and graduated from Clemson in 1997 with a BA in History. Chris played tennis at first singles for Clemson and was ranked as high as 33rd in the country by the NCAA.

Chris competed briefly on the satellite circuit, playing tournaments in the U.S. and internationally in Spain, Portugal and Mexico. He began his tennis teaching career in 1998 at Flanders Tennis Center and with his brother, Jeremy, at Washington Valley Tennis Club in Bergen County, New Jersey.

With the onset of his illness, Chris was hospitalized briefly in New Jersey on several occasions. He found work in residential carpentry and looked back on this period with pride in the skills he developed.

In 2006, Chris moved to Maine to live and work with his family running The Brooklin Inn. He continued his tennis career by joining the staff at Ellsworth Tennis Center as a teaching professional.

The return of his illness during this period affected his relations with friends and family and resulted in several more periods of hospitalization. In the continuing challenge of coping with his illness, he kept his goals and vision to be the best he could be always in front.

Chris was currently ranked by the United States Tennis Association number 1 in Maine and in the top 10 in New England in the Men’s Open division for the second year in a row.

Chris Angell was the youngest of four children and is survived by his parents, Gail and Chip Angell of Brooklin and Califon, N.J.; by his daughter, Kendra, of Lancaster, Pa.; sisters, Jennifer Angell-Kerrigan of Brielle, N.J., and Catherine Angell McCabe of Califon, N.J.; and brother, Jeremiah Angell of Edgewater, N.J.

A memorial service for Chris will be held at The Brooklin Inn, Brooklin, Sunday, May 6, 1 to 3 p.m.

In memory of Chris, the family would like sentiments and support directed toward his daughter, Kendra, and/or the following organizations:

529 College Fund for Kendra Angell

Send to:

Chip and Gail Angell c/o Kendra Angell

571 East Hill Road

Califon, NJ 07830

NAMI Hunterdon

P.O. Box 229

Flemington, NJ 08822

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NAMI Maine

1 Bangor St.

Augusta, ME 04330

www.namimaine.org

Treatment Advocacy Center

200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 730

Arlington, VA 22203

www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org.