Chris was born in Peterborough, Ontario and raised in Victoria, British Columbia as the second of four children of a clergyman. Chris had the privilege of being educated at St. Michael’s University Preparatory School in Victoria.
Chris began his career at McCall Bros. Funeral Services in 1983, at their original location in downtown Victoria. His formal education as a Funeral Director was conducted through the British Columbia Funeral Association at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver, BC. He is a fully licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer.
Chris has also trained and worked as a Crematorium Operator and has served six years as both an Industry Member and as a Consumer Member of the “Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Advisory Group” to Consumer Protection BC.
Chris has served as the Funeral Service Association of British Columbia’s Embalming Evaluator for the B.C. Embalmers & Funeral Directors Apprenticeship Program and was one of three trial Funeral Directors appointed as a District Registrar for the Province of British Columbia, pursuant to the Vital Statistics Act. He is the longest serving Funeral Director/Registrar in the Province.
Chris received his CFSP designation from the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice in 2014, and has recently received his MBIE designation from the North American Division of the British Institute of Embalmers. These designations reflect his drive for continuing education and his commitment to the Funeral Service Profession.
Chris served 18 years as a cadet and an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve. During that time, he served as the Air Force Representative to the CIL Branch National Advisory Council to Ottawa, and was twice honoured to be part of the Honour Guard for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her two official visits to Victoria.
Chris believes in being involved in his community. He has served as the Founding President of the 848 RCACS Support Association in Colwood, is a former Executive Director of the Campbell River Hospice Society, and has served on the Boards of the Nanaimo Oceanside Rotary Club, and the Newcastle Neighbourhood Association. Chris is a former member of the Campbell River Rotary Club, the North Island Cruisers and the Cadillac Club of Vancouver Island.
Chris is currently a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Public Service Branch 127 and serves as the Master of Ceremony for the Provincial Remembrance Day Parade, held at the BC Legislature Cenotaph on November 11th each year. He is also a proud member of the Greater Victoria Police Chorus, which practices regularly in the McCall Gardens Sequoia Centre and performs all over Vancouver Island. The Chorus has performed hundreds of fundraising concerts with proceeds going to the sponsoring organizations. Notably, members of the Chorus are volunteers who devote their talents and thousands of hours to their community.
Chris is a proud father to his daughter, Kelty and sons, Karl & William. Chris’ partner, Elizabeth, was also a member of the McCall Gardens team. She passed away on August 26th, 2025 in Victoria, BC.
