Obituary: Christopher (Chris) Phillip Christie
Christopher Phillip Christie, a resident of Groton for approximately 30 years, died at home on January 9, 2016.
Chris had been born in New York City to Greek parents, Phillip and Theodora Christie, on August 24,1943. In 1951, when Chris was 8 years old, his parents moved Chris and his older sister from New York City to Teaneck, NJ. He attended the Teaneck public school system, participated in Church and community activities, as well as, the Teaneck high school wrestling team.
In 1965, Chris received a B.A. in Business Administration from Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA. Since the Vietnam war was taking place during this time, Chris chose to enlist in the United States Navy for 4 years. He tutored incoming boot camp service men math in Chicago, while attending boot camp there himself, then completed Officer's Training School, and served in the navy for 4 years as a lieutenant working on naval destroyers and nuclear submarines (USS Holland, USS Kennedy, etc.) between 1965-1969.
Chris then enrolled for an electrical engineering degree at Newark College of Engineering, which he received in 1972. After graduating, he worked as an engineer for Raytheon, Maryland, a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. (Raytheon was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007 and is the world'slargest producer of guided missiles).
Chris moved to Boston, and then Groton, in order to work at Hanscom Air Force Base in Engineering and Global Communication Systems. He worked at Hanscom for about 30-35 years until retiring in 2012.
Chris served as Commissioner for Groton Electric, Groton, for 2/3-year terms lasting from 2008-2013.
Before Chris became sick, he loved the outdoors and was an amazingly good skier who had traveled out west to Utah, Colorado, Smuggler's Notch, etc. He enjoyed camping out, being a trail guide leader in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. Chris loved the island of Kefalonia and Greece in general, the town and people of Groton, being a Commissioner for Groton Electric, discussing the "Berkshire Mountain Wind Turbine Project" for safe, clean, renewable energy whichis one of the most successful wind turbine projects in the US providing significant amounts of energy for the state of Massachusetts, cooking and growing the most delicious vegetables (cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, squash, tomatoes), using his two compost piles for providing natural fertilizer in his garden, and raising honey bees in his backyard.
He loved his family, pet honey bees, their honey, as well as "Twinkle," the cat he saved a years ago from the cold and snow of February. Chris helped Twinkle when she gave birth to three kittens next to his refrigerator one week later, one with the cord knotted around it's neck.
He was a lifetime supporter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, enjoyed attending monthly engineering lectures near Boston, bringing lunch from home and attending "Bach Lunches," monthly classical music concerts at a local school, as well as the Gardening Club at the Senior Citizen Center.
Chris was last seen attending the Groton Town Council Veterans Luncheon on January 7.
He died at the home he loved, possibly the night of January 7, 2016, at 72 years of age.
Following his funeral mass on January 18 at St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church, Tenafly, N.J., Chris was laid to rest at George Washington Memorial Park Cemetery, Paramus, N.J.
Chris' survivors include two sisters, Elaine Budnick and Diane Liakos, brother-in-law Dr. Steven Liakos, nephew and niece, James and Stephanie Liakos.
