Christopher Anderson

April 2, 2021

Christopher "C.A" William Anderson

October 19, 1959-April 2, 2021 (Good Friday)

Chris went by many names; C.A., Butch, Much, and his favorite, Dad. Chris was many things to many people, he was almost like a chameleon in the way he drifted through social groups and had enough wisdom and life experience to be able to relate and make connections wherever he went. No matter who you ask, people from all walks of life always first point out Chris's huge heart and eagerness to make himself useful. Chris was predeceased by his father at 18, who tragically passed away from Cancer. At that young age, Chris began on his healing journey that led him into all sorts of situations, including world travel, work, play, trouble and tragedy. Chris eventually found himself in the music industry as a stage technician, working with local and international bands on tour. Chris loved the rush of the road life, and loved to be able to have so much fun while he worked. Chris said many times, that despite the countless hours he had "worked," that he had never really worked a day in his life. Chris also loved horticulture, and completed a degree in Plant Physiology in Alberta. After many years of using his education to grow not-so-legal plants, Chris eventually had his daughter Anna and decided to start work at a golf course and put his knowledge to a more legal use. Chris always loved working with plants, he grew plants until the day he died, and found much peace and fulfillment in the garden. Shortly after Anna was born, Chris's beloved "mumbo" passed away during a procedure on her heart. Chris, once again, devastated, began on a healing journey to find purpose in the loss of his mother. Chris learned many lessons from his Mumbo's death, but mainly he learned to listen a little bit longer, hug a little bit tighter, and to love a little bit harder- and so he did. Chris kept in contact with many people over long periods of time, but he especially kept in close touch with the women in his life. Chris spent so much of his time and energy finding the beauty in people, and letting it be known. In his own way, Chris was a healer who gave so much love to the people he cared for, and he passed on his own way of healing to his children as one of their duties in life, "make yourself useful and be kind." Chris began working in film, working as a rigger in stagecraft, which enabled him to spend more time at home with his now two children, Anna and Leo. From there, eventually Chris embarked on a new journey, outside of the city life, and outside of mainstream societal norms.. "on the farm" as he called it, where he spent the last ten years of his life gardening, building, having fires, travelling and having fun with his kids and loyal dog Shadow. In recent years, Chris developed heart failure. His biggest fear, second to leaving his children, was going under the knife. Despite the fear he harbored from the death of his mother in similar circumstances, Chris had his first open heart surgery on April 10, 2017. He persevered, and he recovered-slowly but surely- and he did it all so that he could continue to make memories with Anna and Leo. After Chris recovered, he deemed April 10th as his new birthday. Chris's love for his children was second to none, he was a selfless father with unwavering loyalty who taught his children everything he knew. In his last four years, Chris and his kids did exactly what he intended to do, they continued to make memories, shared knowledge and learned everything they could about having fun, even with very little resources. In 2020, Chris began having episodes of chronic heart failure and his health started deteriorating. He was determined to get better, studying every book he could find about heart failure and pulling from both Eastern and Western medicine. Ultimately, Chris ended up checking himself back into the Royal Columbian Hospital, the only hospital he would ever go to, eight days after his dog Shadow passed away, on March 18th, 2021. While in the hospital, he made himself a shining light of positivity, and brought much love and fun to the hospital wards he stayed on. Chris visited with his children in the hospital on March 31, and told his kids he was ready to take the risk to get better and undergo a second open heart surgery, because he couldn't bear to live another day in heart failure. Chris, Anna and Leo agreed to the decision, Chris told both his children how much he loved them, and eventually said goodbye. On April Fool's Day, April 1st at 7:30AM Chris underwent his second open heart surgery. The surgery persisted for just shy of 12 hours, when ultimately he suffered complications and was left on life support. With his children on either side of him, Chris embarked on his newest journey at 6:13PM on April 2nd, Good Friday. Chris wouldn't have wanted to pass in any other way, he had his kids by his side and died making a courageous and honorable decision- the decision to risk his life in hopes of a better one for himself and his kids. Chris will be missed dearly by his children Anna & Leo Anderson, his niece Maxine Dominelli, his brothers David & Max Anderson, his two mother in-laws, Pat Harrop & Mary Murray, his bestfriends Marna, Marius and Andrew, ex-wife Lisa McGuire and many others whose lives Chris touched. There will be a fireworks display designed by and dedicated to Chris, near English Bay.. as he put it, "going out with a bang." The dates and more information will be distributed when the family has more information. 

5&2 MLLH&R  

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