Christopher "Kit" Scales

Christopher "Kit" Scales
December 13, 2023
Christopher "Kit" Nesfield Scales passed away at Marin General Hospital on December 13, 2023 at the age of 82.
Kit, a fifth generation Californian, was born in 1940 in San Francisco and raised in the Ross Valley. He attended Ross Grammar School and was in the inaugural graduating class of Redwood High School. College of Marin was Kit's next step, followed by his enlistment to the U.S. Marine Corps. He completed boot camp in San Diego; followed by advanced training at Cherry Point, N.C. to become an air traffic control officer.
A four year assignment to Kaneohe Naval Air Station on O'ahu would be life changing, as it was on O'ahu where he, and the love of his of life, Kelly Maudsley, would meet and then be married in Honolulu in 1965.
Upon completion of his military service, he brought his new bride back to Marin County, and started a job with Plant Construction. He quickly rose through the ranks to become a project manager. In what would be his last job for Plant, he was the PM for a major renovation at The Mark Hopkins hotel. It was early 1974, and due to the success of this project, Intercontinental Hotels offered Kit the job of project manager to go salvage their hotel project in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He accepted and started his almost 50 year expat adventure. Kit, Kelly and their two kids went off to the sands of Arabia. It was an exciting time in Riyadh for Kit, with many opportunities. After completing the hotel project he was hired by 3D International and stayed in country working on many projects for the Royal Family. In 1980, after seven years and with two more children, 3DI moved Kit back to their NYC office. But 8 months later he received an offer from a privately funded international investment firm, which took him back to Arabia and then Baghdad, Iraq.
In 1985, the call of Marin brought him back home to Kentfield, Calif., and started working for Dinwiddie Construction in San Francisco, until early 1992 when another international opportunity came knocking. He went back to work for the investment group and relocated to Geneva, Switzerland for a short time until landing in Bangkok, Thailand. While in Bangkok, Kit was introduced to the market for custom hospitality furniture, so he started Balanza LLC for manufacturing and shipping of high-end furniture for hotels and resorts around the globe. This would be his work focus for the next 25 years, until he retired at 81. He grew Balanza and expanded to Shanghai, China where he lived for 10 years, until 2014 when he recognized Vietnam as the next best business move for Balanza, so it was off to Ho Chi Minh. Kit and Kelly moved into a lovely home on the Saigon River with their dog Duke. They were both blessed to have had the loving and caring help of their friend and house manager, San.
Kit made and kept friends from all reaches of the world. He was known as a generous prankster to those who were lucky enough to cross his path. Stories of his antics are told with humorous laughter, and while sometimes shocking, they are simply believable if you knew him.
He departed this world peacefully surrounded by his loved ones, making a quick exit, while leaving us laughing and wanting more; in true Kit Scales fashion!
Kit has reunited with his wife, Kelly; his son, Patrick; his brother, Jeff; many friends and loved ones in the Kingdom of God.
He is survived by his siblings, Garrett Scales, Nicholas Scales and Lucinda Chapman; his four sons and their wives, Sean and Jessica, Michael and Karen, Jeff and Beth, Stryker and Melissa; and his six grandkids, Stryker (19), Hartley (15), Declan (14) Skey (13), Zander (9) and Kyla (6); as well as many other close family members.
Please direct donations to St. Anselm's Church Ross, California or Sacred Heart Jesuit Center Los Gatos, Calif.