Obituary
Besides being a prolific and acclaimed writer of how-to books, Romeo J. "Cris" De Cristoforo, was a teacher all his life. From teaching friends how to write in his early years, to sharing his books and knowledge with the Nuns at Poor Clare Monastery, Mr. De Cristoforo was always willing to share his how-to knowledge.
With the close family present, "Cris" died in his Los Altos Hills home Jan. 18 after a short illness. A private ceremony with the family was held at Poor Clare, where an arrangement was made for cremation. He was 83.
Considered to be the foremost authority as a do-it-yourself craftsman, the Manhattan native published 42 books on handicraft. His three best-known books are, "The Popular Science Complete Book of Power Tools," "The Complete Book of Wood Joinery," and "House Building: A Do It Yourself Guide."
Mr. De Cristoforo's words have inspired, instructed and guided three generations of woodworkers. His approach results in jigs and fixtures that expand a tool's usefulness beyond the manufacturer's expectations.
Well acquainted with a mortise and tenon, Mr. De Cristoforo (he often published under "Richard" instead of Romeo) provided numerous articles on building houses to American Home and Better Homes and Garden magazines. Bert Murphy, at Mechanics Illustrated, dubbed De Cristoforo, the "dean of home workshop writers."
Mr. De Cristoforo also published numerous fictional articles and selected poetry. His poem, "Dreams," was published in a 1939 Anthology of Verse. He encouraged numerous aspiring writers and taught several in his home, but always advised them to "never quit your day job, if you're going to free-lance."
His wife, Mary, known as Mary Cristy, has been a Town Crier columnist for more than 40 years. She is also a career free-lance writer and acted as model for his how-to-do books. They were married in the Bronx, 57 years ago.
"They touched so many people in the community, and shared so many things with people," said Doni Hubbard, a longtime friend. "They loved each other and they loved their community."
The De Cristoforos moved to Los Altos Hills in the early 1960s, buying a ranch house on three acres. To be more productive, Cris built a darkroom and a 450-square-foot studio behind the garage.
Since he was building the extension himself, building companies provided materials in exchange for a published story. The studio was well documented in numerous national magazines.
"We have known the De Cristoforos 38 years, and our children grew up together," said Bob Johnson, a Los Altos Hills councilman and longtime friend of the family. "He was a very private person, but once you got to know him, he was a friend forever. We considered them part of our extended family."
Last October, Mr. De Cristoforo was inducted into Wood Magazine's Woodworking Hall of Fame for his collective achievements. Throughout his writing, his philosophy has been to learn to do it the traditional way, then discover a better, safer and more creative method of doing the chore.