I am totally shocked by the news of Chris`s passing! He will be greatly missed!

I meet chris 5 years ago and he was the best friend and loved from all of us  he gave my son this toy my son now  10 still  has it and is so heart broken to hear about his passing  we love you Kevin Ruth and Dawson 



Learning of my brothers passing was heart breaking, knowing he left us so soon.  i’ll forever be saddened by this.

I’ll always remember Chris with the happy memories we shared together. Of great times up at the cottage playing in the forest, swimming & jumping off the raft in the lake.  All this fun with the background of our Dads radio tuned in to the Expos baseball game…and all this to be followed up with a walk to Gracefield, through back roads, forest and farmers fields littered with old cars. And finally at the end, a reward of french fries from the local chip truck.

As a boy I always looked up to Chris, only to be amazed by his ventures such as the lemonade stand and his arcade & vending machine business. At our home on Fielding Drive we always had fun playing games in the basement and also competing at the board games with Mom often joining us. 

I’ll always have special memories of Chris when visiting him in Toronto over the years. Each visit always started with a build up of excitement wondering where he was living now and who he was sharing with. One place I remember in particular was his Devonshire House where he was cohabiting with a bunch of drunken engineering students. Amongst all his places he lived over the years my personal favourite was above a warehouse garage somewhere in Toronto’s city centre. 

Chris came to visit me in Scotland one year. We had a wonderful time together, driving around the Highlands of Scotland, visiting pubs wherever we went and amazingly finding a remote poutine shack on the Isle of Skye.  We would spend hours talking about life’s issues throughout our road trip which, as you know my, brother always had a unique view on.

Rest in happiness brother, 

Love Scott 



Aunt Joanne / Scott,

Renée, Danielle, Darren and I wish you both our deepest condolences.  The news of Chris’ passing was a shock to all of us. 

Growing up, I have so many great memories of Steve and I with Chris and Scott, whether at your place on Fielding or building a tree fort or a camp fire at your cottage.   We had so many fun times together.  Times that I will not forget. 

Our sincere sympathies to you. You are in all of our thoughts. 

Kevin. 

I met Chris in the early 2000s and wound up doing some house painting with him. He was great to work with, charming, funny, made the best coffee I've ever had, he roasted it himself in a cast iron pan. He was kind to animals and a sweet person and I am saddened to hear of his death. My condolences to all he was dear to. 

Dear Joanne,                                              I am so sorry to hear about Christopher's death.It is a very sad and tragic time for you, Scott and all your families.2021 was not very kind to you and I'm very sad about that as well.I remember Christopher as a smiling and pleasant person.Take care of yourself as much as you can during this difficult period and remember that you have wonderful memories of good times; no one can take them away from you.I am looking forward to hear from you later.I' ll be in touch.(You can call me whenever you feel like it.).                                                   Rachel

Chris and I were pals way back in kindergarten.  He seemed to know everything about anything important, like dinosaurs and the universe.  He was also a natural athlete but never made a big deal about it.  I remember when I got cut at hockey tryouts.  Chris turned to me and said apologetically, “Well, guess I gotta go”.  After that he never spoke about how great hockey was in front of me.   

Chris wasn’t good at everything.  I remember in music class at Fielding he was assigned the trombone, which couldn't have been a worse choice for someone who was tone deaf.   When he struggled to play during our performance tests, I would stare at the floor and try my best not to get the giggles. With him blarping random notes with no connection to each other until the teacher nodded to indicate that everyone had suffered enough,  Chris would stop, satisfied that he’d done his best and that should be the main thing.  And it was. 

We had a tight group of friends in high school. I don’t know what it was, but we just liked to be idiots together.  In the hallways between classes Chris loved to debate and wrestle, and not always separately.  The debates were often about religion, chosen specifically with no possibility of resolution. Chris had no stake in any of it, and loved to be the devil’s advocate, taking ridiculous stances on something  just to get people riled up.  If he started losing, Chris could fake indignation, claiming affront to his Polish heritage, or sometimes his Russian side. He could be a staunch Catholic or agnostic if it helped his cause.  And when he was really losing the debate, often against multiple opponents,  we would start to wrestle.   It was always a show. 

Chris was a very funny, warm and gentle soul.  I am happy to have known him and will miss him greatly.



Oh, the times we had back in those Glebe high school, and then university days. I'll always remember Chris' wit and smarts. He was the guy with the permanent smile on his face, and he was always willing to try just about anything. 

Chris was never one to be confined by rules, but there was nothing but good intentions in his heart. And he was always there to help you out if he could. 

I remember the canoe trips, and the endless philosophical and physics chats. I vaguely recall our journeys to the downtown pubs, and then over to Hull. And the week I spent with him at his U of T residence room in Devonshire (Devo) House is forever and fondly etched in my mind.

It's been decades since we spoke, but I am deeply saddened and shocked by his passing. The world is a lesser place without Chris in it.

Elementary, Secondary - so many gatherings with friends that Chris livened up with his smile and his unique world view.   Having lost touch after High school, I would hear stories of Chris and his adventures.  I had hoped to see him next year at the Glebe centennial. 

My deepest condolences to all that held Chris in their heart. 

May you rest well my friend.

All of our little high-school group will miss our dear friend Chris. Unlike the rest of us misfits, Chris could meet, befriend, and probably sell something to a complete stranger in minutes, so bewitching was his casual charm. Chris was a great friend to me through school, volunteering his time to join me and cheer me on at local Toastmasters' meetings that I was more or less forced to attend, and more or less loathed. Chris came every week. We didn't see much of each other after high school, but he came all the way out to Scarborough one August evening in 2012 for a garden party thrown in honour of my first son and we were able to catch up and remember the good and the bad of those days at Glebe Collegiate. And he almost sold me something.

I am saddened and shocked by the passing of my nephew Christopher  James. He was too young to leave us. When Chris was born, my Mom babysat him and loved him so much. When he was baptized, I was named his Godmother and  his dad's best friend, Teddy, was named his Godfather . Both my Mom and Dad loved Christopher.   You are in a good place now. Rest in peace Christopher, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Love, Carol Cooke  

Chris and I were friends all throughout elementary school at Fielding Drive. He was witty, clever and made me laugh. We played many a game of Risk. I think he only wrecked the board once! I am sorry to hear of his passing. Thanks for the memories. Rest in peace. 
Blair

OBITUARY

Christopher Steven James

April 18, 1967 – September 29, 2021

McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home & Chapel

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services