Tributes

Christopher Michael McElyea was born in San Antonio on September 14, 1972. He is survived by his mother Yolanda McElyea, his father Patrick McElyea, his sister Samantha and her husband Jeremiah and their son Cruz. He has many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends too numerous to list. He did have two dogs (My Special Buddy – 11 years old and Bette – 4 years old) that he so loved and who will miss him greatly. Chris was a precocious 1st grader who the teacher told us spent way too much time going up to other student’s desks to talk to him and be friends with them. While we were sure he would grow out of this behavior as he got older…we were wrong. He spent his whole life going up to people who he didn’t know and wanting to meet them and talk with them. Everyone he met knew immediately that this was a good and gentle person that they needed to get to know. He lived in San Antonio his entire life. He graduated from Clark High School with honors. He received a Presidential Scholarship that we were all very proud of. He completed two BS degrees (Mathematics and Physics) from UTSA. With some encouragement he went to Culinary School at St. Philips College for two semesters and we were the beneficiaries of his work there. Oh, the dinners he prepared were great but culinary school taught him he never had to do the cleanup. Yikes! His mother and he got involved with dog agility training and together they spent the last 20 years teaching and participating in dog agility events. For about 7 years they ran a dog agility training school off Braun Rd. They shared many happy moments with their students and their dogs at that facility and at the dog agility trials they attended. In 2017 Chris and his mother bought a vacant lot in the neighborhood and spent more than two years developing a yard to be used for dog agility training. At the same time they worked on building a brand-new two-story home. Both were completed in 2019 and they have been enjoying the fruit of their work since. Chris loved movies (last movie was Napolean). We so appreciated him that he put up with our “old people movies” when we knew he really looked forward to going to a big blockbuster movie with his friend, Kenny. And he did love going to the latest animated children’s movie with his dad and his nephew, Cruz. He loved reading. He so looked forward to the newest John Grisham novel and the fact that his sister Samantha would be giving it to him as a Christmas present. He also loved #4 at Whataburger, green enchiladas at any Mexican restaurant, and Sweet and Sour Pork at Ding How. Good choices all! He will be missed everyday for the rest of our lives. We loved him with a full heart and a clear mind. Chris would want everyone to have the same wonderful life that he lived and he would ask all of us to love each other the way he loved his family and friends. Good night, sweet prince, until we see you again.

Tributes

Christopher Michael McElyea

September 14, 1972 - December 21, 2023