Christine Kay Tokonitz

Christine Kay St. John Tokonitz, known as Chris to her family and friends, passed away on August 17, 2015 at 3:48 am at Providence Portland Medical Center. She was very recently diagnosed with metastatic Leiomyosarcoma, Stage IV. She passed peacefully with her husband and mother by her side.

Chris was born on May 31, 1970 in West Branch Michigan and lived there until the age of two. She then moved to Walla Walla, WA and lived there until the age of ten. Afterwards, she moved to Gresham, OR where she completed her childhood years and high school education. She graduated from Gresham Union High School in 1988. She met her husband, George, in 1987. They married on July 7, 1990. She had her first child, Alex on August 13, 1998. She then had her daughter, Faythe, on December 26, 2002. Her baby, Conor, was born on February 5, 2005.

Chris started her higher education journey in 2006 at Warner Pacific College. She graduated summa cum laude in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development. In 2010, she completed her Masters in Science in Management with a focus in Organizational Leadership. In 2014, she earned a Masters in Science in Health Care Administration. She received both Masters degrees with a 4.0 grade point average. She was taking classes from Concordia University to get her Doctor of Education in Transformational Leadership.

Starting in 2009, Chris was an academic advisor for Warner Pacific College. She managed a case load of over 200 students, coordinating their graduating plans, with class structures, financial aid and record requirements. Starting 2013, Chris was an assistant Professor in Health Care Administration for the college. She loved her job and students. They were like an extended family to her.

A direct quote from Chris’s Linked-in profile summarizes her career goals and beliefs: “I am committed to teaching students not only theory and application, but incorporating a focus on ethics as well as quality. My teaching is a reflection, but not only of my own philosophy but also the ethos of the college and the industry as a whole. I strive for my courses to be dynamic, going beyond the textbook into real world learnings.”

Some of the things that Chris enjoyed most in life were her coffee and camping at the beach. She was somewhat of a gourmet cook and was very involved with her children’s activities and church. Her greatest enjoyments were her students, her friends and her family, especially her children.

Chris is survived by her husband, George; her children, Alex, Faythe, and Conor; her mother, Carolyne Wallingford; her sister, Sherry Wilson and family; her brother, Eric Wallingford; and her sister, Melissa Schaffer and family.

A Celebration of Christine's Life will be held this Sunday (8/23) at 3pm with a reception to follow.

Mt. Scott Church of God

10603 SE Henderson Street

Portland, OR 97266

Phone: (503) 771-1195