Chris Budech left this world and became an ancestor on December 6, 2024. There is never enough time to say our goodbyes and make sense of life's greatest mystery. But we can come together to honor and celebrate his remarkable life.

We're feeling his spirit in the sunny dog walks, the hummingbirds that stop by, his music collection, and the warm glow of candles at night.

My dad was a deep lover of nature, music, and art. He tended to his garden plot at Magnuson, managing the giving garden for over 20 years and making sure others had healthy and nutritious food. He was adventurous - riding his bike every day to work and leading the bike to work team, annual backpacking trips, long road trips. He even hitchhiked across europe with a guitar on his back to connect with his relatives in eastern europe. We're still in touch with our eastern european family thanks to dad. He had a large record collection with his country blues favorites like Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Willie McNell and Son House. His paintings and photographs also live on.

He was fighting esophageal cancer and died unexpectedly the evening of Friday, December 6. He was surrounded by his family, his ancestors, and the spirit of his community as he took his last breath on earth and journeyed to a new realm. 

I know my dad continues to live on through you all, his family, friends, and community. He put a lot of energy into his relationships and loved you all deeply.

Contributions to dad's memorial fund are deeply appreciated. There are many costs that we would love our community's support in. This fund will help establish a dedicated bench in his memory and support memorial services - a lasting tribute to honor his life and provide a peaceful place of remembrance. The bench will be installed at the Magnuson Pea Patch, his special place. We want to make sure people can visit and spend time with Chris there, enjoying the birds, the spring blooms, the summer veggies. Any left over funds will be donated to the Magnuson Pea Patch, Cancer research, and the St. Sava Serbian summer camp.

We look forward to sharing memories with you all to stay connected to his spirit and continue to know him on a deeper level - all the connections and adventures he had in his life. Please add your photos in this shared google album, share your memories with us on the MyKeeper website, and if there are any songs that remind you of Chris, send them our way so we can make a playlist. 

We are grieving, slowing down, and finding ways to connect with dad - through music and walks. He was a goofy, loving, adventurous soul, and we will miss him deeply.

Let's continue our relationships with my dad in new and cosmic ways. He is still here with us and a part of us all.

With love,

Mary Jane, Keiko, and Krsto

May your heart always be joyful. May your song always be sung -Bob Dylan

“Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns, it calls me on and on” -The Beatles