Obituary of Christopher John Carless

Christopher (Chris) John Carless, born in Andover, England; died at age 86 on Oct 19, 2013, in Capitola, CA. Educated at St. Paul's School in London, he served in the Royal Air Force (U.K.) for two and a half years just after WWII ended. He trained as a quantity surveyor and worked for his father's firm in Marlow, England before moving to California. In 1955, he met the love of his life, Penny. They were married in 1957 and immigrated to Santa Cruz. Chris became a U.S. citizen in 1963. He worked for Freeway Lumber, Pacific Lumber, and for 22 years at San Lorenzo Lumber on 41st Ave. as an estimator and buyer. He was one of the founding members of the Cabrillo Chorus and sang with them for many years. In retirement, Chris did volunteer driving for the Red Cross and the Volunteer Center, and could be found on a number of local golf courses several times a week. Chris was the epitome of the word Gentleman, a gentle man, and he will be sorely missed for his quiet, kind and thoughtful manner. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Penny; daughters, Sally and Jenny; son, Tim and grandson Tristan; sisters, Jenny and Barbie; brother, Ian; and preceded in death by his younger brother, Derek. At Chris' request, no services are planned; a celebration of his life will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Chris' name are encouraged to Hospice of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066. The family thanks caregivers Jake, Adriano and Frank as well as Hospice of Santa Cruz for their wonderful support during the past three months.