KRISTJAN GUNNSTEIN EYOLFSON

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KRISTJAN GUNNSTEIN EYOLFSON October 1, 1966 January 30, 2007 After a long struggle with illness, Kris' life ended in the same manner that he chose to live it; on his own terms. He requested that only his mother, his brother, and the woman of his dreams be at his side. When first diagnosed, Kris made a decision to tell as few people as possible about his condition. He did this, not only for privacy reasons and the need to live his life as he always had, but also because he wished to cause pain to as few people as possible. Right up to the end, few people knew the extent of his illness, or just how much pain he had to live with. His great strength allowed him to continue to work and lead his regular life well beyond the point where any other person would have been able to go on. Kris spent his final months doing the things he loved best: spending time with as many family and friends as possible. Weekends spent at the lake with Teri. Weeknights at his brother's to spend time playing with his two nephews, Jakob and Kristjan. Even an occasional visit to Lundar to spend time with his Mom (who loved him deeply and gifted him with so many of his best qualities). Kris is survived by his mother, Davilyn, his partner, Teri Benson, his grandparents Frank and Greta Dembinsky, his sister Maia and brothers Aaron and Johann, along with numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins who all loved him very much. Kris is predeceased by his father, Keith, and his cat, Whiskey. He loved both of them more than words could describe, and was looking forward to seeing them again. Although respectful of other people's religious beliefs, Kris was an agnostic and specifically requested that no formal service or memorial be held in his memory. His family has chosen to respect his wishes. In lieu of flowers, his family request that people honour his memory in the manner that they deem most appropriate. We all love you and miss you, and of course you will live on in our hearts and in our memories forever. As his brother, I could spend days writing down the many wonderful memories I have of Kris, and why he has always been, and continues to be the person who most influences the way I choose to live my life. I could talk about his generosity, his endless capacity to love, and his other qualities that made him so special to all of us. Kris would not have wanted that. One of Kris's favourite authors once wrote about taking the Last Car to Elysian Fields . I know you loved that image and all that it represented. I can even picture you right now. Your face angled towards the sun, hands clasped loosely behind your head, eyes half closed and with the faintest trace of a smile ghosting across your face. Regardless of your destination, I know that you of all people will just sit back and enjoy the ride. You may not always have had two feet on the ground, but that was only because you knew how to fly. I'll see you there. Love you, Jo.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 07, 2007