Kris Pechet

**Kris Samuel Pechet**

*November 17, 1954 – September 1, 2025*



At 9:06 a.m. on Monday, September 1, 2025, the final whistle blew for Kris in Vancouver, BC. No overtime, no fanfare-just an overwhelming sadness felt by his fans. Husband, father, zeide, lawyer, and coach, Kris fought hard for everything and everyone he believed in. With his beloved wife Blue and son Ahren by his side, and despite the tireless efforts of the medical and nursing staff at Vancouver General Hospital's CICU and CSICU, he lost his final battle following two heart surgeries.

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Orla and Torchy Pechet, Kris' family relocated to North Vancouver, BC in 1968. It was there that his life truly blossomed, beginning in grade nine at Balmoral Junior Secondary and continuing at Delbrook High. Kris' passion for all sports was equally matched by that for academics and Kris loved High School, taking part in all it had to offer. He maintained a close-knit group of friends from those days, including his closest lifetime friend, Bruce Bourdon.

Kris worked at the Hastings Racetrack and Pacific Press in support of his post-secondary education earning a History Degree in 1978 from SFU and a Law Degree in 1981 from the University of Victoria. Kris had a great experience at Law School, making lifelong friends and graduating in the fourth class of UVic's fledgling Law School – in fact, heading up his list of the best days of his life was graduation from law school. He then began a career with the Crown, first in Dawson Creek, where he met longtime friend, associate, and lawyer Mark McDonald. Mark played an important part in Kris' move to private practice in 1987 and then from criminal law to civil law late in his career. After leaving the Crown, Kris was frequently appointed as a Special Prosecutor throughout the Province and conducted many significant cases, not only for the Crown but also for the Defense until his retirement in May 2024.

Kris was an excellent lawyer and a friend to everyone with whom he worked known for his precise vocabulary, impeccable timing, and compelling arguments, Kris was widely respected as an exceptional lawyer-admired equally by colleagues on both sides of the courtroom.

Kris carried the same passion and competitiveness he had for Law to the football field and growing up in Winnipeg made Kris a life-long Green Bay Packers fan. His earliest foray into coaching came at the age of 8 when he wrote Vince Lombardi, then Green Bay head coach, with suggested plays. The team kindly wrote back and thanked Kris with a box full of Green Bay merchandise but did not respond to his request to send two players to spend the summer with him in Winnipeg despite his assurance that his parents had agreed to host them at their home.

Kris first coached nine-year-old Ahren at North Delta Community Football before co-founding the Seaquam High School football program in 1994. He later helped revive the Vancouver Trojans junior football team, guiding them from back-to-back winless seasons to a playoff berth in 2005. Returning to Seaquam as head coach, he led the team to victory in the BC High School Championship in 2008. His commitment to football extended beyond wins and losses, serving on the BC Secondary School Football Association Executive with a deep dedication to player safety and development.

Kris played hockey and tennis into his thirties, basketball into his forties, softball into his sixties-and honed his golf game throughout, at Richmond Country Club.

His love for learning never waned and he immersed himself in the study of languages and intellectual pursuits through reading and The Great Courses series.

Kris loved fiercely and wore his heart openly, his face lighting up with affection when someone he cared about walked into the room. In law, sports, friendship and love, to have Kris in your corner meant you would feel like nothing had been left on the table – win or lose.

Kris loved his Icelandic cousins along with his aunt June and uncle Harrill but most strongly identified with his Jewish heritage, maintaining close ties with his Pechet cousins and uncles Mitch and Morrie-frequently visiting them and participating in family celebrations.

In contrast to his intensity in Court and on the field, Kris' compassion was evident by his deep love of dogs and his quiet love for art, the natural world, flowers, skies, sunsets, and every wild thing. He noticed what others overlooked.

Kris loved to travel and this began when his aunt June took him to Europe in 1970 and then in 1974, he participated in Comex #6, a goodwill mission where 200 participants from the Commonwealth met in Chigwell UK and received instruction on essential skills such as bus driving, meal preparation, and vehicle maintenance. A convoy of ten buses then embarked on the adventure, traversing Europe through Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan then returning to the UK.

On a subsequent trip Kris travelled through Europe and Israel picking melons on a kibbutz where he declared he would spend the rest of his life until his parents arrived and convinced him to come home and finish university. In later travels with Blue, Kris enjoyed cruises with his parents, Hawaiian and Mexican vacations, golf trips, annual tagalongs with Blue to London which were followed by family vacations in Europe and spending winters in Palm Springs before and after his retirement.

Kris leaves behind his beloved wife Blue; son Ahren (Eryn); grandchildren Hayden and Ava; brother Bill; sister Kim; lifelong friend Bruce Bourden (Beth and Kate).

Kris would have been touched and grateful for Ahren, Eryn, Bruce, Beth, Kate, Jodi Cristall, Nicole Gill and Gordon Bowen who sat with and supported Blue at VGH during Kris' extended second surgery.

A celebration of Kris' life will be held on Thursday, October 16th at 1:00 p.m. at the Richmond Country Club, 9100 Steveston Highway, Richmond BC.



In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jewish Federation.

https://jewishcommunityfoundation.com/tribute-cards