Nat Christie Obituary January 2015

CHRISTIE, Nat TownsendAugust 29, 1955 – January 8, 2015It is with extreme sadness that we mourn the loss of our father, husband, son, brother, uncle and true friend. He will remain forever in our hearts. He leaves behind his treasured son Harrison; family Francesca, Clint and Sam; mother Martha Christie; sister Paula-Marie Havard (partner Daryl) and nephews Jonathan and James; brother Philip Christie (wife Karin) and nephews Bradley and Patrick; sister Carla-Jo Christie Hamilton (husband Bruce), niece Christie and nephews Brendan, Jonathan and Sterling; along with many dear friends and their families who considered Nat as their brother and son. Nat lived his life with a moral code of right and wrong. His constant strength, encouragement and strong values served as a reminder to us to always be true to ourselves. Family and friends were extremely important to Nat throughout his life and his door was always open to whoever needed a helping hand or support. With fondness we will treasure the memories of wonderful gatherings hosted at the property Nat had created over the years through his hard work and diligence. One of Nat's greatest legacies will be the incredible bond of friendship he had with his "Best Friends" and their families. Our family extends gratitude to all of you for the support and friendship you returned to Nat both in the good times and the sad times. From an early age and into his adult years, Nat, under the guidance of his Father Natt and Uncle Bill, developed a love and appreciation for the outdoors and the animals he had in his care. Some of his favourite times were spent training his labs (Tinker, Goldie, Tess, Tish, Toby, and Brit), as well as having the opportunity to develop his horsemanship and experiencing many life lessons while working alongside his uncle at the riding stables. Over the years Nat had the opportunity to enjoy many successful bow and hunting expeditions with his friends and their dogs in Choteau, Montana and around Stettler, AB. Nat enjoyed many scouting activities with his father and brother as a member of the 18th Scout group. He played football for the Central Memorial Rams and the Calgary Mohawk Football Club. Many early morning hours were enjoyed water skiing at Lake Windermere behind our family boat the PaulMarJo. He was also a very accomplished skier and spent many hours with his friends in the mountains. For over twenty years Nat enjoyed serving as a volunteer on the Calgary Stampede Volunteer Committee, primarily on the Western Heritage Committee, as well as the Sub-Committee Chair for the Construction Committee, and also on the Caravan Committee. Over the years he shared his status as a Stampede Volunteer Alumni by inviting his family and friends to many of the Stampede events. The annual Stampede Parade Breakfast that Nat and his friends always hosted for their families and friends continues. Nat's entire family would like to express our thanks for the kindness and support we have received over the years.