On Thursday, July 7, 2022, Leonard "Chris" Christensen, husband, dad, son, and brother, passed away peacefully at the U of W Medical Center in Seattle at the age of 84. Chris will be forever remembered by his wife Carol, their children Linda (Dave Koontz), Marie, and Carl (Tracy), and by his sisters Sandy Ross and Toni Chapman. Chris will also be remembered by his 17 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren, extended family, and dear friends. Chris was proceeded in death by his parents, Harold and Verla Christensen, sister Eileen Scott, son Douglas Christensen, daughters Jackie St Clair, Doreen Bennett, and Darlene Laque. Leonard "Chris" Harold Christensen was born in Fairbanks Alaska August 24th, 1937, to Harold Victor Christensen and Verla Palma Christensen. The oldest of the four kids, Chris had a natural affinity to animals and was rumored to have had a camp bear cub named "Christy", whom he fed dried apples to, and a pet squirl while summering in Alaska at the mining camp where his father was the supervisor. Chris loved Alaska and it was the perfect place for a boy to grow up exploring. Sandy told us a story of Chris rafting down the creek that ran through the mining camp having the time of his life. Chris, together with Carol, were co-owners of Chris & Carol's Living World Pets in Kennewick for 33 years before retiring. Before that, Chris worked as a surveyor and supervisor for the Franklin Country Road Crew building roads. While working for the Corp of Engineers, Chris worked on several dams and while working on the Dalles dam, Chris found Indian artifacts. Chris worked a brief time at Welches and that's where his dislike of grape jelly started because he saw a snake swimming in the jelly. Somewhere in his early adulthood, Chris served 2 years with the Washington State National Guard. Chris also helped his dad and uncles on the farms harvesting wheat, asparagus, fruit, and raising turkeys and chickens as a young man. Chris's extended family farmed in Badger Canyon, behind Thompson's hill, on Gum Street, the area that is now Batemans Island and Columbia Park. When Toni was an infant, the family lived in a house near where McDougal's is and sold eggs for extra money. Chris was a bit of a motor head and Sandy recalls when their mother found Chris working on a transmission right in the middle of his bed because he wanted to be comfortable. At some point, Chris wrecked his beloved Austin Healey. He must have really loved that car because he talked about it right up to his passing. A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held Saturday, July 16th at 2 pm at the South Ridge Sports and Event Center in Kennewick, WA. Chris will be placed with family at the Sunset Gardens niche wall in a private ceremony. The family wishes to thank Sunset Gardens and CODA Alternative Cremation and Funeral for their quick response and making the "details" easier.