Christopher W. Sites

On February 1st, our beloved Christopher Sites decided that his fight with cancer was fought, and he was ready to explore the afterlife. Chris was 59 and has seen quite a bit of this world during his time here. Despite his diagnosis he always kept his positive attitude and kept living his life the way he used to – humble and grateful for every kind of opportunity life had to offer. Chris had a lot to be proud of and was admired by more than he dared to believe. He loved the outdoors and being on or in the water. He was a great golfer, a proud Navy veteran, held a black belt in Kenpo, competed in triathlons for many years, and worked for UCSD/Scripps Institution of Oceanography for 23 years, supporting the Global Seismographic Network. He was a wonderful friend, a great brother, the best uncle, and an amazing husband. Chris was loved by many and will be so very deeply missed.

An Army brat, Chris was born in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1963 and moved to the US a few years later. He grew up with his two brothers and sister moving up and down the East Coast until he decided to join the Navy. The Navy moved him around the country some more during his first year and eventually landed him on the West Coast, in San Diego, CA in 1985. He worked on San Clemente Island, CA for the majority of his 6-year Navy duty and continued working on the Island as a contractor for another 8 years. Chris found his first wife in the Navy but ended up single again after a few years. He had the honor to share a house with people that became friends for life, and he was always a good host to his friends in need. In 1999, Chris transitioned to a job working at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where he traveled the world to install and service seismometers for the Global Seismographic Network. He worked with people from (and in) 30+ different countries and loved how it enriched his life. Chris met his second wife at Scripps Oceanography in 2014 and they married in 2018. He said and wrote many a time that it was the best thing he ever did. After a 13-month fight with cancer, Chris decided that it was time to be reunited with his mom and other friends and family that were taken from him during his lifetime.

Chris was the son of Sally and William Sites. He is survived by his wife Evelien, his siblings Ed, Pete and Francie and their extended family. To honor his wishes, a celebration of life will be held in May, along with a sunset walk on the Silver Strand beach.

Chris’s last message to friends and family: “Thanks for the memories! I had a great ride. Love you all!!! The cancer may have taken my body but not my spirit! ♥ ”

If you would like to donate in Chris’s honor, contact Evelien if you wish to contribute to florals for the celebration of life, or feel free to donate to the American Cancer Society or the American Red Cross. (view donations section below)

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Christopher W. Sites, please visit our floral store.