Aram Christian "Chris" Abajian Jr. passed away on July 28th while hiking in the North Cascades. He slipped on a steep embankment and hit his head. His partner performed CPR on him for at least two hours, though it was later found that he had died almost immediately. He is dearly missed by all of us who knew and loved him.
Chris was one of the most fascinating people I've ever known. He was a talented programmer who wrote elegant code. He was a passionate musician who built his own instruments and spent hours transcribing music by ear. He was a serious athlete who was recently training for a one-day ride from Seattle to Vancouver, BC. He was an armchair scholar who devoured books on philosophy, music, cryptography and neuroscience. He was a political gadfly. A world traveller. He loved loud, explosive action films and science fiction/fantasy tales with highly improbable storylines. He told great jokes. He made an excellent omelet. He was a loving and dedicated father to a brilliant teenage son, and a best friend to some very lucky people, including me. I miss you, Chris, and will always love you. ~Lesa
Please join us at 6-10 PM on Saturday, August 25th at the Mount Baker Community Club in Seattle WA for a celebration of the life of Chris Abajian.
We will be doing the celebration "open-house" style, with some time set aside to read, sing or play music. We will be serving dinner and dessert. Please feel free to drop by and say hello, share some memories and some food, sing a song, read a poem or leave a note in the memory book. Please BYOB or nonalcoholic drink.
Please RSVP with Lesa at 206-478-0562 or email at lesacooks AT mac.com
In lieu of flowers, our family requests a donation to the Chris Abajian Memorial Fund. Thank you to everyone for your love and support.
I am terribly saddened by this news... Reminder of how short life is. I hope he didn't have many regrets, and didn't place his better days in the future. May he rest in peace. Though our acquaintance was short, through the music ensemble we performed in together, I've always thought he was a good, fun, honest man, trying to make the most of his life.
May he rest in peace. My condolences to those he left behind, especially Xander.
Posted by: Gokce D Sezgin | 08/14/2012 at 06:53 PM
Chris and I had some epic arguments; he was one of the few people I've met who was man enough to stand up and debate things without malice or resentment. No matter how heated a discussion, he was always ready for tunes afterward. A rare trait.
Posted by: Kelly Walter | 08/15/2012 at 10:42 PM
Got a chance to climb and bike with Chris over the years. A kind soul who will be missed. Bummer.
Posted by: Josh Gerak | 08/16/2012 at 06:13 PM
The world has been blessed having Chris's touch and style in it! What a bright and kind person. It is my loss not seeing him In years and I will never forget his conversations and companionship on the climbing trips we took. I had been thinking about Chris this last couple of weeks... The spirit is strong Chris. Thanks for the inspirations.
Greg Dearholt
Posted by: Greg Dearholt | 08/16/2012 at 08:47 PM
I met Chris in the mid-1990s when I lived intermittently in the Seattle area, and we went on some climbing trips, I think some of his first, to the Leavenworth area. I recently looked his name up as I'm moving back to the PacNW, and was very sad to find that he'd died a few years ago. I remember animated discussions with him the car, his brilliant mind, eclectic interests- a renaissance man, rare thing in today’s world. He still leaves an impression me 20 years later as you can see. You will be missed Chris. Godspeed.
Posted by: Charlie Wolf | 09/23/2015 at 07:06 AM
Hi Charlie, thanks for the memories. Yes, Chris was quite broad and deep in his interests, and I'm happy to say that his son, who is twenty and in his junior year at Brandeis, is very much the same. It makes me so happy to read these recollections from time to time. Welcome back to the PNW.
Posted by: Lesa | 09/23/2015 at 11:37 AM