Christopher Winfield

Christopher Winfield, Digital Marketing Manager at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and the clever wit behind so much of its social media success over the last two years, passed away suddenly Monday, December 13. He was 51.

Christopher joined the staff in 2020, not long before the Museum was forced to shut down in response to the pandemic. It was his idea to stage a “social media takeover” with security, which ultimately led to the viral sensation of Tim, #HashtagTheCowboy and hundreds of thousands of new online fans of the Museum. He was also the author of our children’s book, “Twas the Night Before Christmas in the West.”

Christopher was hilarious. Those dad jokes we all enjoyed online flowed so naturally and represented the kind, fun-loving nature he brought to the staff. He was extremely clever and well-suited for representing the Museum online. Christopher had an oversized impact on the Museum in his short time here. All of us who were fortunate enough to work with him will miss him greatly.

Above all else, Christopher was a loving husband and an incredibly devoted father. He’s survived by his wife, Alison, his daughter, Gemma (8), and son, Flynn (5).

Your support during this tragic time means a lot.