CHAMPAIGN — In downtown Champaign, a portion of Main Street between Walnut Street and Chestnut Street carries the name Honorary Chris Decker Drive. The designation recognizes a man who is remembered by community members for quietly keeping Champaign safe for more than two decades.
Chris Decker died April 1, 2025. The honorary street designation was granted later that year.
Long before the street bore his name, Decker was a constant presence. Often walking the area as a security guard, Decker went above and beyond to ensure community members felt safe, said Greg Bugbee, co-owner of The Venue CU.
“He poured himself into this downtown,” said Bugbee, who first met Decker in 2019. “I mean, it was his identity, in my opinion. That’s why we all loved him. But we all told him to go home, you know, he worked all the time.”
He said their friendship grew through casual conversations they had when Decker worked as security for events at The Venue CU.
For nearly two decades, Decker worked alongside retired physician and property owner Dr. William Youngerman.
Youngerman said that after Decker was hired as a salesman at Jos. Kuhn & Co., under Youngerman, he discovered that Decker’s talents went beyond selling menswear. Over the years, Youngerman said Decker helped preserve many of the properties Youngerman owned on Main Street, and became the primary security for them.
Decker had previously worked as a police officer in Gibson City, giving him the skills to handle tense situations. Those who knew him emphasized his gentle approach.
“He was a big guy, but very soft,” Youngerman said. “Quiet but likeable.”
He often escorted people to their cars, diffused conflicts and monitored local businesses closely, according to Bugbee.
Decker watched over several downtown properties, Bugbee said, including Mad Goat Coffee, Fire Doll Studio, Black Dog Smoke & Ale House and Jupiter’s Pizzeria & Billiards.
Decker often stayed long after events ended, Bugbee said, making sure guests left safely and that staff was taken care of. While Bugbee was away on vacation, Decker would check in on Bugbee’s building and notify him if anything seemed out of the ordinary.
“He was doing a lot of what police would do, but they didn’t have to do it because Chris was doing it,” Bugbee said. “He was just cutting it off at the knees before the call to the police needed to be made.”
Decker was a deeply caring person who never sought recognition, he added.
“I don’t want him to be remembered as a security guy or a handyman or all the things he was,” Bugbee said. “He was really just a friend to us businesses down here… He’s just a good human being, and he worked his butt off.”
Decker’s dedication extended beyond work. When he wasn’t looking after the people of downtown Champaign, he also cared for his elderly mother.
Youngerman said he admired how Decker prioritized his mother — and many others — above himself.
“He was very, very concerned about her, and I’d just say, ‘Go. Go take care of her. This will be here when you’re back,’” Youngerman said. “He did a real good job taking care of her.”
Shortly after he died, The Venue CU hosted a Celebration of Life for Decker. Bugbee said he was heartened by how many people attended.
“When we had the celebration service, we realized he was way more elevated than just your average security guy,” Bugbee said. “He was known.”
For Youngerman, Decker’s legacy is about more than the work he did and the buildings he maintained.
“Much more than fixing boilers and all these other things that he could do, it’s really how kind he was and how he could see when people were in distress,” Youngerman said. “He would help take care of them.”