Longtime Helena resident Christian Kafentzis died Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008, at the age of 82 after a brief illness.

He was a caring husband, devoted father and grandfather and an unfailing friend.

Chris was born on June 12, 1926, in Missoula, the son of John and Madeleine Kafentzis. He graduated from Missoula County High School in 1944, and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in World War II, where he fought in the Battle of Okinawa in F Company, 306th Regiment, 77th Army Infantry Division. After the war, he attended the University of Montana, where he played football for the Grizzlies. He graduated from UM in 1950. He remained a dedicated Griz fan and was a longtime football season ticket holder.

In 1952, he married Betty Ann Gaston and they raised two children, John and Mari. Chris spent his adult life in Montana, living in Butte, Great Falls, Cut Bank, Missoula and Helena. Early in his career he worked for Continental Oil Co. He sold real estate in Missoula for many years and later was employed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Great Falls and Helena. He was the Montana director of HUD when he retired at the age of 68, in 1994.

Chris had a strong sense of duty to his country and was a member of the Army Reserves and later the Montana National Guard, where he was battalion commander of the 19th Special Forces in Missoula.

A health and fitness advocate from an early age, Chris took up running almost 40 years ago and ran until deteriorating eyesight forced him to walk in recent years. He loved running. He competed in sprints and marathons alike. He worked hard to do well, but what he enjoyed most was the camaraderie with other runners.

Chris was an outgoing person and there was hardly a public place in Montana he would go and not run into an acquaintance.

He had a historian's mind for places, dates and people. He could tell you about the original owner of a house built a century ago or discuss the day's latest news.

Chris was active in many organizations, including St. Mary Catholic Community, Reserve Officers Association, Special Forces Association, Grizzly Scholarship Association, Elks Club, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and Fort William Henry Harrison Museum Foundation.

He is survived by Betty, his wife of 56 years; a son, John (Teresa) Kafentzis of Spokane, Wash.; daughter, Mari Wolff and her longtime companion Leonard Dunning of Miles City; brother, Andy (Beverly) Kafentzis of Richland, Wash.; two grandchildren, Kathryn (Ted) Teske, and Christian Kafentzis, both of Spokane; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Special thanks goes to family friends Dr. John Seliskar, Brad and Leslie Smith, Peggy Knopf, Fred Flanders, Kevin Herrin and Ted Schieffert.

A vigil is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Retz Funeral Home. A funeral Mass and celebration of his life will be at noon on Thursday at St. Mary Catholic Community. Interment will be at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be sent to The University of Montana Foundation Excellence Fund, P.O. Box 7159, Missoula, MT 59807-7159. To offer condolences to Chris' family or to share a memory of Chris, please visit www.mem.com.