Christopher Daniel Lins

Christopher Daniel Lins, 54, died on February 21, 2026, after living the last few years the same way he lived all the others - on his own terms - even while facing a rare form of appendiceal cancer.

Chris was born August 11, 1971, in Dayton, Ohio to Barbara Hadden Lins (now Jones) and Daniel F. Lins and was raised in Gainesville, Florida. He graduated high school from UF's P.K. Yonge Laboratory School in 1989, where he played football and was already out joining protests and canvassing for PETA. He believed in causes. He believed in action.

He went on to graduate (crossing the stage barefoot just as in high school) from Reed College in Portland, Oregon in 1994, but not before taking a year off to wander through Mexico and Central America.

His early jobs read like a preview of a man who would never sit still: mowing lawns, working in the Reed College post office, spending a season in an Alaska canning factory, serving as a census taker and as a consumer advocate in Gainesville. He didn't chase titles or money. He chased life experiences.

In 1996, he joined the Peace Corps and served in Paraguay until 1998. He helped create a co-op, learned Guaraní, lived in a hut with a dirt floor and no electricity, and began his lifelong habit of drinking yerba mate tea. It wasn't hardship to him; it was living. Later, from 2001-2006, he recruited volunteers for the Peace Corps in Boston, convincing countless others to take the leap he had taken to do something that mattered.

He worked for the National Park Service at the Fort in Saint Augustine - a job that suited his love of being outside and chatting with people. He commuted to work on his bicycle, with a daily stop at the beach for a dip in the waves on his way home. Chris was always happiest in the water. One summer working at Sequoia National Park became one of his favorite chapters. Big trees. Big sky. Bright stars.

In 2014, he returned to the Peace Corps for a second tour, this time in the health sector in Tanzania. He was a female health advocate and was willing to tackle sensitive but vital issues with at-risk communities. Also, Chris noticed that no one swam in the reservoir nearby, so he taught them how to swim. He embraced village life. He shared the water, the laughter, the small experiences that made his life sweeter.

From 2018 to 2023, he again recruited Peace Corps volunteers, this time while living in Saint Augustine. Again encouraging others to step into the wider world and gain a different perspective. When his job ended, Chris moved to Dahlonega, Georgia to be with Ashlee, the love of his life, who supported him when he needed it the most in the last few years.

Chris lived all over the country and rarely stayed in one place, or one job, too long. He traveled light. He never needed much. A backpack, a bike, a body of water, a sunset. That was enough. He spent his life exploring the world, especially national parks and Central and South America. Even during treatment these past few years, he kept traveling - visiting friends and family across the country and around the world - either alongside Ashlee or always returning home to her.

He loved dogs and sunsets and bonfires. He loved the beach, rivers, and hot springs (and skinny-dipping whenever possible). He loved backroads and poker and the Florida Gators. He challenged rules and charmed his way out of many speeding tickets.

He is survived by his partner Ashlee McCaskill and their beloved dog Sophie of Dahlonega, Georgia; his mother Barbara Jones of Ocala, Florida; his sister Jennifer (Jay) Hopkins of Alpharetta, Georgia; nephews Jake and Matthew; and many uncles, aunts, cousins, stepfamily and lifelong friends scattered across the globe. Chris was preceded in death by his father Dan Lins and stepfather Sam Jones.

Chris was an original. A bright light. A good soul in all the ways that matter.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Come barefoot if you can.