“Waves keep coming, that’s the one thing you can count on in life.” 

                                 —Gerry Lopez

Christopher Wu of Vancouver, BC, Canada, passed away peacefully with family by his side on March 06, 2024, following a brief but courageous battle with esophageal cancer.  Born on March 18, 1965, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he is survived by his parents, Dr. Yenching Wu and Geraldine Ann Wu, and also by his loving wife, Jessica “JJ” Chen, his two children–Jacob Orion Wu and Jade "Michi" Louise Wu–and two younger brothers, Jonathan Wu and Cameron Wu.  He is also survived by ex-wife Fu-Jung Chou, numerous in-laws, nieces, and nephews, including members of the extended Jue family of California to whom he was very close.  He was preceded in death by his elder brother, Mark Wu, in 1997, and also by step-father Ben Jue, who recently passed in January 2024.  And, of course, he leaves behind a wide circle of dear friends in the Vancouver BC area.

Chris grew up in several locations around the United States, including Ann Arbor MI, Salt Lake City UT, Akron OH, and Fresno CA, due to the nature of his father’s medical practice.  In 1979, he matriculated as a boarder at the Groton School in Massachusetts, where he played competitive lacrosse and ice hockey, and would form early life-long friendships.  From 1983-1987, he attended Oberlin College in Ohio–his father’s alma mater—majoring in East Asian Studies and becoming fluent in Mandarin.  These interests took him to Taipei, Taiwan immediately after college graduation, where he took a first job in the telecom industry.  While there, he met and married Fu-Jung Chou in 1988.

After returning to California, where Chris worked briefly in real estate, he and Fu-Jung relocated to the Vancouver area in 1993.  Chris was a partner in the upstart Canadian Water Corporation, which bottled and distributed Bourassa Canadian Glacial Spring Water.  His beloved children were born during this period–son Jacob in 1994, and daughter Michi in 1996.  Family was most important for Chris, and even though he and Fu-Jung separated in the mid-2000’s, they continued to live a stone’s throw away from each other while amicably co-parenting their children.  For over 20 years, Chris worked at the Telus Corporation in Vancouver–most recently in the strategic accounts division. He was widely known as a team-oriented and generous colleague, participating enthusiastically in corporate charity events as well as the Telus soccer, softball, and hockey teams.

Chris was lucky enough to find love again, marrying JJ Chen in 2010.  Apart from family, Chris’s true passion was found in communing with nature, especially through rigorous and technical outdoor recreation.  He felt very much at home in the mountains and ocean of the Pacific Northwest.  He was an accomplished outdoorsman and waterman, proficiently skilled at a broad range of activities including (but not limited to): surfing, paddle boarding, sup surfing, backcountry skiing, fly fishing, white water kayaking, rock climbing, mountaineering, sailing, windsurfing and golfing. He was graceful and mindful at these activities, always pushing his personal boundaries of skill, spirituality, and risk, while also maintaining an earthly humility and cognizance of safety.  He also loved teaching and mentoring others in these activities, including his children and younger brothers.

During the past decade, Chris and JJ spent increasing time traveling in their cherished RV named DaTu (Mandarin for “big rabbit”).  It served as a second home for them as they toured from Vancouver, to the BC interior, to the Sierra Nevada mountains, to Southern California surf spots.  It opened up a world of adventure for the couple during which their love of the outdoors and each other could flourish.  After Chris’s health diagnosis less than one year ago, JJ cared for him with unyielding diligence, devotion, and compassion, right up until his final breath.

A celebration of life service will be held in Delta BC on Saturday, March 23, 2024–just a few days after what would have been Chris’s 59th birthday–at 1:00pm PDT Sunbury Hall, 10409 Dunlop Rd, Delta, BC V4C2L1, Canada.  Chris was extremely warm and gregarious, and was most at peace when he knew his family and friends were safe and happy.  He would want a good time to be had by all at this event, knowing that everyone had come together to enjoy one last party.

In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to assist with memorial costs.

Canadians, e-transfer: jessica_wen@hotmail.com

Americans, paypal: wu_cameron@hotmail.com

Remaining proceeds will be donated to Squamish River Watershed Society (https://www.squamishwatershed…) an environmental organization important to Chris.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/christopher-wu/obituary/

Copy