Christine Wyatt Obituary

Christine (Chris) Wyatt

Christine Wyatt passed away peacefully on April 23, 2020.

Chris was born October 11, 1949 in Portland, Oregon to Betty and Bill Wyatt. The family relocated to Sandpoint, Idaho in 1957. Chris graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1967 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Law degree from the University of Idaho. She moved to the Seattle area in 1975. After passing the Washington State Bar Exam, she served as a Public Defender and private defense counsel at the King County Juvenile Court in Seattle for many years, calling Bainbridge Island her home.

Chris, in addition to being a great wit and virtuoso of the droll come-back, was a talented musician and artist. She gathered the family around the piano during Christmas for caroling, and her beautiful artwork is featured in the homes of many of her closest friends and family members.

After retirement, Chris enjoyed daily walks to find specimens of "new" bugs. After taking a picture and finding out what she could about each one, she emailed friends and family to share in the delight of her find. Many of these tiny creatures inspired paintings that became beautiful artworks in her home.

She is survived by her mother, Betty Wyatt of Bainbridge Island, WA; her brother and sister-in-law, Scott and Rochelle Wyatt of Sammamish, WA; her nephews and their wives, Aaron and Casey Wyatt of Olympia, WA and Todd and Kim Wyatt of Issaquah, WA; and five wonderful grandnieces and nephews in whom she found constant delight.

Chris's love, wit and wisdom will truly be missed.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Kitsap Sun from Apr. 28 to Apr. 29, 2020.

Memories and Condolences
for Christine Wyatt

8 Entries

Marian and Bruce McGrew

April 22, 2024

Marian and Bruce McGrew miss you Chris. Thank goodness we have your paintings hanging in our home so we think of you every day.

Judy

April 23, 2021

It’s been one year, and I’m constantly reminded of you Chris, you make me smile nearly every day. Lately I’ve heard your voice when I react to some nicety with a heart felt and perfectly timed “oh. My. Gaawd.” I use your “Rookie move” all too often. LOL. There are single word reaction that I hear in your voice, “oh!” And “Well...”. I have small gifts from you all around my house and in the garden. Thank you for that!! I didn’t know how priceless these would be.
I haven’t been back to our best coffee spots this year, now that I’m vaccinated and can be out in the world I know I’ll be mourning again and again when I do. Ellen and I are going to Sand Point in May to have a good cry over our loss. Hope that flies with you. I know you are where you need to be, just hope you won’t mind us pulling at your memory for a bit more.
I miss you. I guess that’s how it’s suppose to be.
Love all ‘round. ().
Judy

Marian and Bruce McGrew

April 22, 2021

We miss Chris so much, every day. Thank you Chris for so many wonderful memories. We are so lucky to have five of your paintings hanging on our walls, and enjoy them all.

Carolyn Biggs

May 29, 2020

Chris and I became friends in 1992 while eating ice cream cones and enjoying daily cuppas with the coffee group on Bainbridge Island. She was easy to talk to, smart, wise, and funny. Our conversations were laced with laughter and teasing : me, clueless with computers and Chris, fidelity for flip phones. After her diagnosis, she remained positive and upbeat, taking joy in being outdoors, in painting and photography, and her latest delight, singing with friends. More and more she was giving me lessons for living well and finding grace during illness and I soaked them up like a sponge because she was one of four cherished friends fighting cancer. Brave beautiful girl - I am more sorry than I can express to know she is gone.

Marian and Bruce McGrew

May 5, 2020

Marian and I knew Chris for nearly 45 years. Our children were only 3 or 4 years old when we first met her on Bainbridge Island and today, they are nearly 50. It's as if we all grew up together. Chris was always cheerful and friendly, independent, smart, and yet a very private person. Usually we met in a coffee house for a "cuppa" (as she said) to discuss the latest news or local events. Sometimes she described an interesting case she defended as a public defender. Some of those stories had a happy, even funny, ending, but sometimes not and those were hard. She explained how she ended up becoming a lawyer. A college boyfriend told her he was going to law school. Chris expressed an interest too, but he said, "Oh Chris, you could never become a lawyer!" Well, that rubbed her the wrong way and she certainly proved him wrong.

As we got to know her better, we learned that she had a Fine Arts degree and it made us happy when she began painting again and taking photographs after she retired. Again, she was very private. Many years into our friendship we learned that she also played the piano. And for a long time we thought she was "pinching pennies" but later we discovered she was day trading in the stock market and making money! Occasionally we discussed her interest in writing and she turned out to be a very skilled writer. Chris was so talented. It was always a delightful surprise to find out about another one of her interests because she was always so go at each one. Later in our friendship we enjoyed some travels with her - we took a car trip to Orcas Island with her and several friends, she visited us in Coeur d' Alene Idaho and Las Vegas, and many times in Seattle. She was such a fun person, and a good friend. We miss her so much and always will!

May 2, 2020

In the early 1980's I was writing a piece for the Washington State Bar News called Growing Up a Lawyer, about every family's court system. I needed a cover and asked Chris to draw one, which she was kind enough to do. The piece shows a young, bespectacled boy in his dad's way-to-big suit coat, trying to lift his dad's way-too-heavy briefcase, as his dog looks on. It was fun, funny, human and was the cover the that State Bar News issue. She was talented personally and professionally. Her passing is a big loss to many. Jeff Tolman, Poulsbo

May 1, 2020

Christine Wyatt was a dear friend for several decades. We met when we were neighbours on Bainbridge Island & kept in touch mostly by letters & emails. Once, when I was taking a vacation in California, Christine stayed with me for a few days. Christine was kind, witty & talented. I will miss her greatly.
Hazel Dawkins

Judy Ford

April 30, 2020

Chris was a bright spark and one of my dearest friends. A brilliant writer, a gifted artist, and a most talented conversationalist. Her wit always snuck up on you. She was positive to a fault, never spoke ill of anyone, and saw the light in everything. It was always a treat to share a cuppa with her.

Her departure has left a chasm in my life that I must either learn to bridge, or admire as a natural wonder, as it's not going anywhere. I'll miss the weekly email exchanges, the interesting topics, the always present & sometimes riotous humor, her art, her unflagging and sometimes humorous interest in entomology. She led a rich life and we are all so much richer for having known her. You are missed my friend.

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