Birth date: Aug 29, 1951 Death date: Sep 14, 2018
Chris Tollefson, 67, passed away unexpectedly on September 14, 2018. He was born August 29, 1951 in Tacoma, Washington to Rudolph and Violet Tollefson. Chris grew up in a wonderful neighborhood at North 35th and Puget Sound. He at Read Obituary
So sorry to hear of Chris' passing. As his obituary stated, he grew up in a great neighborhood in north Tacoma. I remember BBQ's for us neighborhood kids in the Tollefson back patio. Vi made the most delicious desserts. Wish we could be with you all today, but we are in Arizona. Prayers to the family and friends.
Paulette Alvarado
Chris only wonderful memories. You were always your own man. Time passes so quickly but you were a wonderful friend in our lives.
Jim Wingard and Cindy Kennedy
I was very deeply saddened to learn of Chris' passing. I have been doing my best over the last couple weeks to process this. What Scott and Dick have expressed is very reflective and heart felt. I, too, struggle with this loss. What, if anything, should I say? We always say, "I’m sorry for your loss" or "My Condolences" to family and close friends, but what does that really mean? We say it. We have to say it and then in the confines of our hearts and minds we struggle to process the loss and search for the words that really convey what we feel. Mostly, I feel fortunate during my life to have Chris call me a friend. He was an enigma to many, but not to those of us who were his friend. We were proud to be just that. Lucky us.
I knew Chris in the same way many did through high school and beyond. We hung out in the same social circles and had many, let's just say "memorable" times together. I have my own Chris "stories," but he and I always had a common bond through movies and music. Although I moved from Tacoma, as the years passed, we would see one another on the occasions I visited T-town. Our conversations grew more philosophical and political for sure, but we'd always come back around to movies and music. All genres of music. Chris wasn't a musician (unless you count the lawnmower as an instrument), but he had a critical ear and, as you might surmise, if you knew Chris, he was a dogmatic critic. That was our common thread. Together, we were damn good critics.
Chris was extremely well versed and read on a myriad of subjects and one never knew where the conversation might go based on his latest pursuit. He was, to say the least, a passionate purveyor about whatever new subject matter, movie, or discovery he had made. I would always be captivated and held transfixed as he waxed philosophical and, at times, metaphysical about his latest and greatest interest. He was never one to be at a loss for words. And you were always along for the ride. So you might as well just buckle up, sit back, and enjoy it.
I am always stunned when one of my friends passes and yet, at some point, we will all take that journey. It’s almost like, "What!? How can this be? There are things I needed to say, questions to be answered, stories to be told." There were indeed things I would have liked to have said and stories I would loved to have heard, but, as happens, those are sadly opportunities lost. Although, as I reflect, I'm grateful for the conversations we were able to have over the last few years at the Cloverleaf whenever I visited Tacoma. Conversations filled with nostalgia, politics, his latest passion, movies, and music.
Perhaps somewhere he's listening to Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, or waxing philosophically about The Big Lebowski. Enjoy the journey my old friend, you left us too soon. But if I'm lucky, "I'll catch you on the flip side."
Rick Harris
I was very sad to hear this news and have been thinking a great deal about Chris. This conjured up many fond memories of hanging out with him and his family during elementary school years at Sherman. These include overnights, catching flounder in the cove at Fox Island, the World's Fair, playing on summer baseball teams,Tolly’s good natured teasing, trips to the Elk’s club with Rudy followed by steaks at Chuck’s Alibi, Vi’s rants (“Oh,Christopher!”), the gulch, Saturday catechism, and a variety of other indelible memories. Adding Scott, Steve, and the occasional Bradley B. Bannon only supported the mayhem Chris could inspire.
In junior high, a light switched and Chris transformed in a unique and dynamic way. At his core he remained a big hearted guy with a wicked sense of humor and a view of life that was all his own. Our paths separated a bit in the teens as often happens to elementary school buddies. Yet, Chris and I continued to share the bond and friendship formed in elementary school. We remained friends for life despite our different journeys, distance apart and personal choices because of those early years we shared. We didn’t see each other often, but when we did, we were always happy to recall the stories of those years.
Trite as it may sound, Chris was one of a kind and at his best he was a loyal friend, honest, smart, perceptive, funny, and yes, visionary in a crazy kind of way. I feel fortunate to have been his friend.
Dick Cvitanich
