Obituary of G. Stephen Christopher

G. Stephen “Chico” Christopher, 68, of Troy, New York died January 9, 2017 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. He was born in Somerville, MA and lived in Bristol, CT and East Brunswick, NJ before attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY. While at RPI, Chico was a member of and held several elected offices in the Pi Kappa Alpha (PKA) fraternity. After earning Building Science and Bachelor of Architecture degrees and serving two years with the Peace Corps in Iran, Chico returned to Troy. He worked for TAP Inc., a non-profit Community Design Center, for the next forty-three years. At TAP, Chico provided architectural services to Troy and surrounding communities, particularly low-income urban neighborhoods. He advocated for his clients by assisting them in matters beyond their housing needs to better their lives. He was recognized for superlative service in May 2014 when the New York State Senate passed a resolution honoring him “upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Beacon Leadership Award by the Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley.” Chico was committed to improving his community and served on the Board of Directors of the Capital District Community Gardens and as a volunteer for the Rensselaer County Cooperative Extension where he was recognized as a Master Gardener. He was a staunch supporter of the Street Tree Advisory Committee and regularly attended Planning Commission hearings to advocate for tree plantings and tree care. Chico was also an avid Boston Red Sox fan. Chico was predeceased by his mother, Marion McDonough Christopher. Surviving are his father, Chris G. Christopher; his siblings, Michael Christopher and his wife Marlene, Ellen Conroy and her husband Mark, and Mark Christopher and his wife, Lynne; and five nieces and nephews, Chad, Casey, Devan, Clint, and Olivia. A memorial gathering will be held at the Higgins Memorial Home, 20 Center Street, Freehold on Wednesday January 18th from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the American Brain Tumor Association at 8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Suite 550, Chicago, IL 60631 or www.abta.org.