Christian Franco

To Christian Franco, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Christian, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Christian really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Christian was born on February 11, 1977 at General Hospital (Scripps) in Chula Vista, California. His parents are Genaro Franco and Antonia Garcia. Christian was raised in San Diego, California. Even as a child, Christian had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was very confident and succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Christian was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Christian managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Christian was raised with one brother and three sisters. He had an older brother Genaro Jr. and three sisters, Jessica, Stephanie and Luisana.

All of Christian's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Christian experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in baseball and played as a team member of a youth baseball league. In his spare time he liked to play at all sports and particularly loved playing baseball and watching football. Christian's memorable achievements included winning multiple trophies for his baseball efforts. He also played with the YMCA basketball team and was recognized for his outstanding sportsmanship.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Christian was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Christian simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Christian, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Christian's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Christian graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1995. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. He will be remembered for being the 2nd best batter in San Diego County during his playing years at Sweetwater High School.

Christian reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Christian was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for Christian, life was not a case of all play and no work. Christian relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. He earned his Associates Degree in Real Estate from Chico State University. Christian's interests while in college were to become a successful Realtor and businessman and travel the world.

Christian never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Christian to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Christian delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Christian was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Christian utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Charlie Mujica, Jaime Lopez, Juan Carlos Lopez, Pedro Cala, Manny, Ralph, Adrian, Andres, and more. Christian loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

At work, as in life, Christian was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Christian liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso, and like to multi-task and have everything organized. When dealing with various projects and problems, Christian was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Christian's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Christian as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was Real Estate Agent. He was employed for Prudential California and Coldwell Banker West Real Estate Companies.

Christian enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. Christian really liked to travel and creating unforgettable memories. His favorite pursuits were baseball,softball, golfing, hiking and gym workouts. Christian was content to enjoy his hobbies with his friends, family and pets.

Christian felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Christian loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Christian relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Christian never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Christian played football and baseball for the Su-Hi Red Devils. In his college years, Christian continued to stay active by playing minor league baseball. Recreational sports included golf and baseball. Christian was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football and baseball.

Christian had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Christian's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. In high school, Christian was a member of the football team. In college, Christian joined the Wildcat baseball team of 1999 and took a Championship for Chico State.

A generous person who often wore his heart on his sleeve, Christian often found himself involved in activities he deemed important. He was charitable, kind and giving, qualities that made him a natural volunteer. Outspoken in his beliefs, yet tactful in his dealings with others, Christian was a member of several community groups, serving on committees for "Autism Awareness" including marathons to raise money for this cause.

Living life in the fast lane suited Christian just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included vacations to Paris, France, Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and New York City, New York.

Christian was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Christian's favorites was Coky, his chow chow, Madison his pugg and Mona his French bulldog. They were his best friends for 11 years. His family was rounded out by his cats Rajah and Cuete, and a few dogs he saved from the streets as strays.

Christian Franco is survived by his father, Genaro Franco, his mother, Antonia Garcia, his brother Genaro Jr., his sisters, Jessica, Stephanie and Luisana. The love of his life and partner, Gabriela Novelo-Lugo, and his pet coker-spaniel, Matilda. Services were held at Funeraria Del Angel Humphrey. Christian was laid to rest in Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita, California.

Christian brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to practice humility, kindness, friendliness, and always had a good time. He was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Christian Franco lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will forever be remembered with a smile.