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Constantine Christopher
May 23, 1965 - June 23, 2015
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<div itemprop="description">CHRISTOPHER, Dean<br />May 23, 1965 &ndash; June 23, 2015<br /><br />Beloved Son. Cherished Brother. Brilliant Uncle.<br />Gentleman and Friend.<br /><br />Constantine John Christopher &ndash; known to all his family and friends as Dean &ndash; passed suddenly from this life into the next on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at Calgary, Alberta. Dean is now at peace and with our adored, much loved and forever missed mom (and grandma), Julie, who passed a few short months ago. Left with broken hearts are his dad, Gus, his brother Sam, his sister Cathy and brother-in-law Brian, his sister Michelle and brother-in-law Ken, much-loved niece Lauren and her husband Mike, and best buddy and nephew Mackenzie. Also mourning are his &ldquo;Vancouver mom&rdquo; Natalie Speckmaier, who shared his birthday, and her family: Norman, Shannon, Nicole and Kevin. <br /><br />Dean has left us for now but in this, as in all things in his life, Dean did it his way: unexpectedly and far too soon. Dean was the baby of the Christopher family, the youngest sibling of four and the apple of his parents&rsquo; eyes. From the beginning, Dean was the centre of attention and this never changed. As a child, he was irrepressible: always a mischievous prankster, always with a twinkle in his eyes, always laughing. This, too, never changed. <br /><br />From childhood, Dean was our golden boy. At school &ndash; and always &ndash; Dean lived life to its fullest. He was everyone&rsquo;s friend. He distinguished himself as a Ripley&rsquo;s House prefect at his alma mater, Shawnigan Lake School on Vancouver Island. He was an actor, once (in)famously starring in a production of Sweeney Todd. He was a tremendous athlete, played varsity rugby and rowed competitively. He was cheered on by all the family at the Henley Royal Regatta in Henley-on-Thames, England at the start of a memorable summer&rsquo;s European Rowing Tour. At Shawnigan, Dean also developed his entrepreneurial side, selling his mom&rsquo;s express-mailed chocolate chip cookies to his perpetually hungry teenage classmates (although he didn&rsquo;t confess this until years later). <br /><br />Thereafter, Dean attended the University of British Columbia where he pursued a degree in English literature. After university, Dean joined his dad in the family business and when he was not hard at work, he pursued his interests in film, literature and history. He read voraciously and was very knowledgeable about the American Civil War, the Second World War and all-things-Sir-Winston-Churchill, about which he would happily talk for hours. He was a classic movie buff and could identify any film from the 1940s and 50s on sight, if not by soundtrack. Dean was also a beautiful, expressive writer, and took care with his penmanship. He was always thoughtful, and took time to write exquisite cards of thanks to us for even the smallest of favours. These will always be treasured.<br /><br />Dean also loved to travel and spent his childhood summers at the family home on the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. Dean loved Maui, the Hawaiian Islands, Arizona, London and all the places he visited on numerous European trips. Dean had a formidable memory and could recall details about his travels long after the rest of us had forgotten, particularly when his travelling days were curtailed by health issues. <br />More recently, Dean&rsquo;s love of family was the focus of his life. He doted on his niece Lauren and nephew Mackenzie, and delighted in the family pets &ndash; a pair of rascally Border Terriers. His charm, sparkling personality, and lightning-quick wit will always be remembered, as will his remarkable ability to tell a really good story, usually embellished for our entertainment. <br /><br />Again, too soon, we say aloha now and forever. We will love and miss you always. Rest in peace, beloved Dean.<br /><br />Family and friends are invited to Prayers on Sunday, June 28, 2015 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (1 Tamarac Crescent SW) at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Service will be held on Monday, June 29, 2015 at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church at 11:00 a.m., followed by a gathering of family and friends. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by visiting leydens.com.<br /></div>