Christopher Lee Christie

Christopher Lee “Chris” Christie was born at Anderson Airforce Base in Guam on May 30, 1948 to David and Ruth Ann Thomas Christie.  The family moved back to San Bernardino, CA where Chris attended public schools, graduating from San Bernardino High School. Chris had a brother and 2 sisters, all of whom pre-deceased him. He worked tirelessly his entire life. He left us all too soon in the early morning hours of December 15, 2020 when his heart gave out.  He is survived by his close friend and soul mate Alice Lentz, two nieces, extended family, friends, neighbors, associates and "Rascal Haywire" his most recent, devoted rescue dog.

Chris had a wonderful sense of humor and a sensitive, generous spirit, which will be sorely missed. He cared deeply for what was happening around him and took his role as a responsible citizen seriously. He read and brought strong analytical insight to issues of concern. He possessed an astonishing conviction to democracy and justice. His independent thought and honesty persevered with moral courage whether his ideas were perceived as mainstream or not.

Chris' formal education was in microbiology and medical technology. He earned a BS in Microbiology, with Honors/Distinction at California State University, San Bernardino. He worked in a hospital lab, drove for Greyhound Bus and worked briefly for the United States Post Office. He started his own business growing over 100 native plant species in a small nursery. Chris was a Veteran, having served in Germany. He volunteered with Oregon Natural Desert Association putting in many skilled hours of detailed field work after moving to Oregon in the late 1990s. He returned to CA for several years to help his beloved Uncle Leonard Christie, and volunteered at an animal shelter there as well. Chris organized and hosted both a native plant group and an educational, alternative-news film series in Baker City. He worked with birding groups, offering diligent and comprehensive work on bird counts and organizational considerations.

Chris' life joy was documenting nature's astounding biodiversity. His understanding of and devotion to the natural world were remarkable. He worked endlessly to photograph, research and share information about the world around us, in particular birds, native plants, insects and petroglyphs. His life-long capacity for learning and his expansive intellect were noteworthy.  He worked endlessly, including the night before his heart gave out, at his computer, uploading his photograph series and collected information about pronghorns. Two URLs where some of his photos can be accessed are https://www.flickr.com/photos/christopherchristie and https://calphotos.berkeley.edu/photographers.html

Memorials can be directed to the Center for Biological Diversity, P.O.Box 710, Tuscon, AZ 85702 or at www.biologicaldiversity.org/memorial

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