The Marathon community was left in a grief-stricken state of shock when Chris Globe passed away unexpectedly after a medical emergency on July 20.
Born and raised in South Florida, Chris is remembered as a devoted husband and father who never missed one of his children’s games and beamed with pride over their achievements in the classroom as well as on the athletic field.
Chris attended both Miami Sunset and later Miami Killian Senior High School, where he played baseball and soccer and shared the football field with future NFL star Sean Taylor.
“Chris was a sweet boy and everyone liked him,” recalls his mom, Sharon Rojas – a sentiment shared by everyone who had the fortune of knowing Chris.
He excelled in athletics and would continue to play competitive soccer after high school while coaching high-school baseball. When he was 18, he landed a job with Global Security, which launched him toward a career in life safety and security. It was that same year he met his future wife and high school sweetheart, Debbie, on a blind date at the Miami-Dade County Fair. The young couple started a family and spent a few years in North Carolina before permanently settling in Marathon in 2011.
A security professional who owned and operated Barnes Alarm in Monroe County, Chris is survived by his wife Debbie; their three children, Dylan, 19, Caylie, 17, and Cameron, 15; his parents, Larry “Pops” Globe of Marathon and Sharon (Johnny) Rojas of Homestead; siblings Jeremy (Valerie) Globe, Candice (Steve) Dvoran and Janine Rojas; and eight nieces and nephews.
“He spent a majority of his time with his family and kids,” said Debbie. “Nothing else mattered. He was all about his family.”
A celebration of Chris’ life will be held on Aug. 24 from 10:45 to 12:45 at Sombrero Beach and from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Key Colony Inn. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family with funeral and household expenses.
“Chris was that guy we could always count on to be there. He wasn’t there just to support his kids, but he supported everyone. He always made sure the kids had what they needed.
We are gonna miss him. He was a huge supporter of the program both at home and away. He had a passion for the kids and wanted to make sure everyone was taken care of.”
– Luis Gonzalez, Marathon councilman, former mayor and MIddle Keys Booster club president
“You talk about a straight shooter. He did not lie and didn’t pull any punches. He wouldn’t sell you anything you didn’t need and he would always find a way. Like the old lady in the trailer who couldn’t afford a fire alarm – he would go out of his way to help people and make things right. He is definitely going to be missed in my world.”
– Mike Card, Marathon fire inspector
“My son and his son, Cam, are in the same grade. I’ve coached Cam since he was in fourth grade and I always felt an admiration for Chris because he was at every game supporting Cam and he was at his other kids’ events as well. It is heartwarming and rare to see a father as involved with his kids as Chris.”
– Matt Pitcher, football coach
“Chris never missed his kids’ games and was always very supportive of Marathon athletics and all of our student-athletes. He is without question one of the most genuinely kind guys I have ever known and will be deeply missed.”
– Andrea Murphy, Marathon High School educator, coach and friend
“He loved Marathon and the Marathon High School. He would help any student who needed cleats or equipment. He never wanted any credit, he just wanted all of our students to have everything they needed to be successful.”
– Sean McDonald, Marathon High School educator, coach and friend
“Chris was Jack’s very first baseball coach. I still have him in my contacts as ‘Baseball.’ I’ll always remember that he was devoted to the kids. Always there coaching, helping or just cheering on. He was always positive and I loved running into him at games at the high school.”
– Pete Chapman, friend
”He was kind and generous to everyone whether it was a long time friend or a stranger he just met. He was more than a dedicated professional but also a loving husband and father to three wonderful children.”
– Greg Barnes, business partner and friend
“We were talking about football and friendship and Chris said something like, ‘I’ve watched a lot of these boys grow up and love them all. To see their bonds this strong is something special!’ He truly did root for everyone.”
– Mac Childress, Marathon High School educator, coach and friend
“He only contacted me for two things: to share a very inappropriate joke or to make sure we were aware of a student-athlete’s recent accomplishment. He cared about all the kids in our community. He would always make me smile and I am really going to miss his giggling laugh.”
– Jason Koler, friend
“I met Mr. Globe when I was 5 years old and I’ve played on teams with his son all throughout middle and high school. I have never played a game where he wasn’t there. Mr. Globe didn’t feel like another one of my friends’ parents, but instead an extra father figure.”
– Josh Koler, Marathon High School Class of 2027 and friend
“Mr. Chris was a great guy, and an even better dad. Even though I wasn’t his biological son, he still treated me like one. Mr. Chris always knew how to put a smile on people’s faces, whether it was just him being around the people he loved or making funny jokes around us kids. Even though I was always overstaying my welcome at their house, the Globe family always made me feel at home and appreciated. I always loved going to the Globes’ place just to be around Ms. Debbie and Mr. Chris because they always knew how to make me laugh and smile. Mr. Chris always put his family and friends first. He was one of the main reasons I tried high school football, because he always said, ‘It’s better to try things out to see if you like them, than never try them at all and end up regretting it.’ He always loved coming to our Marathon High baseball and football games. No matter what, he always came up to me after the games and would say ‘Good game li’l D’ and give me a fist bump. That always put a smile on my face no matter what the outcome of the game was. Thank you, Mr. Chris, for everything you have done for your family, me, and everyone else in this community.”
– Dylan Williams, Marathon High School Class 2027 and friend
