Chris passed away in Victoria, BC on July 4th, 2026, after a six-year journey with cancer. His wife Colleen is forever grateful for the adventure they lived together for more than 20 years and was by his side at the end. Chris was strong, brave, and optimistic, and he stayed physically and mentally active with a myriad of projects for as long as he was able.
Chris was born in Toronto, grew up in Ottawa, and moved to Victoria in the 1970’s. His affinity for the sea included a long career in oceanography and many years of commuting from Piers Island. Chris will be missed by a large and diverse network of friends and family, near and far, that included cherished, decades-long friendships. Equally large and diverse were his interests, which included cars, machines, boats, electronics, metalworking, troubleshooting, gadgets, cooking, baking pies, road trips, cruises, hardware stores, and collecting stuff. Chris was smart and generous with his time and knowledge, enjoyed learning new things and meeting new people, and he was an undeterred and creative problem solver.
Colleen would like to thank BC Cancer (Victoria), our local hospitals, particularly the Royal Jubilee Hospital, and Chris’s favourite pharmacy, for the first rate and compassionate treatment, care, and attention he received.
A Celebration of Chris’s life will be held in the Sequoia Centre at McCall Gardens, 4665 Falaise Drive, Victoria, BC on Monday, October 5th, 2026, at 2:00pm.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
This obituary is the property of the “MacKay” family and may not be reproduced, distributed, or altered in any way without prior written consent.
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Sandy and Bob Clemenhagen
Dear Colleen
We will miss Chris, his bravery and his positive attitude. Restoring cars and building homes. we will be at his celebration of life.