Christopher Adam Blackman, 37, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2015 in the comfort of his home surrounded by family after a courageous battle with cancer
Chris was born on July 21,1978 to John N Blackman Jr and Kathleen Cross Blackman, formerly of Darien, Conn, the first of three siblings He grew up in Darien and attended Darien High School, where he excelled as a student and enjoyed playing on the Blue Wave football team After graduating DHS in 1996, Chris attended Hamilton College, where he also played football and received a Bachelor of Arts in history in 2000 He subsequently received a degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2003 Chris was a member of the New York Bar Association and was most recently admitted into the Connecticut Bar He was published twice by the New York Law Journal
In 2003, Chris moved to New York - a city that complemented his animated spirit and boundless energy A man known for his strong values and unwavering integrity, Chris quickly established a successful law career, and most recently held a post at Gordon & Silber, PC
It was over a summer weekend in Newport, RI that Chris met Julia (nee Julia Burgio), his best friend and future wife, whom he married on June 16, 2012 They moved from New York to Darien in 2013
Chris was a gentle soul with a lust for life He was an avid golfer and skier who relished the spring of the green under his feet and the crunch of fresh powder under his skis He was also known to enjoy a good tennis rally with Julia On many evenings and weekends, he could be found running in Central Park, training for various half-marathons In 2011, Chris finished the New York City Marathon
Chris also was a wine aficionado and collector with a taste for big California reds He was an avid traveler who counted Newport, Nantucket, Mass, and Vail, Colo, among his and Julia's favorite destinations Chris relished in spending the summers being the captain of his family's boat
Chris blessed all who knew him with his quick wit, striking intelligence, easy charm, soulful laugh, and inviting smile His warmth, kindness, smiling eyes and love will be forever missed, but never forgotten
Chris is survived by his wife, Julia; parents, Nick and Kathleen; sisters, Genna and Laura; sister-in-law, Laura Birdsall; brothers-in-law, Seth Chernin, Jake Grzyb and Alex Birdsall; as well as his niece, Carleigh Birdsall Family and friends will carry on his positive spirit and zest for life
A private memorial will be held for family and friends In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be sent to:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospitalhttp://wwwgiftfundsstjudeorg/cblackman
Chris Blackman / CAB Memorial Fund
wwwlawrencefuneralhomecom
Published by Darien Times on Aug. 3, 2015.