Christopher Eldon Wise
Obituary

Christopher Eldon Wise, 49, passed away peacefully in the arms of his wife, Karina, on April 17, 2026. He was born on December 29, 1976, to Marjorie June Smith and Strother Eldon Wise. Chris lived a life defined by kindness, hard work, creativity, and devotion to his family and friends.

A service honoring his life will be held at the Rose Pavilion at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge, CA on Monday, May 25, 2026, at 11:30am.

He was the eldest of three siblings, Jonathan (Jon) and Jacqueline (Jackie). He grew up alongside his younger cousins, Marie and Shawnie, and shared a close family bond with them throughout his life. Marie and Shawnie’s mother, Aunt Sunny, played an important role in Chris’s upbringing and passed away this past December, having provided love, support, and a motherly presence in his life.

The siblings experienced instability in their early years and later the loss of both parents as young adults. They leaned on one another while maintaining strong ties to their extended family. Chris also shared a close bond with his paternal grandmother and, at a young age, helped care for her stepfather, reflecting his early sense of responsibility and devotion to family. He was, by all accounts, her favorite grandchild, as was lovingly noted within the family.

Chris came into the life of Lee Ramer in the late 1990s and became a part of his family. Lee became a deeply important father figure in his life, and their bond grew into a father-son relationship. Chris worked for Lee’s contracting company, Ramer Construction, for approximately 10 years, where he developed and refined his skills in hands-on construction and problem-solving. In tribute to him, Lee later renamed his business Wise Pearl Construction.

Chris was naturally drawn to working with his hands and spending time outdoors, and construction became a natural fit for him. He worked in electrical, plumbing, framing, painting, appliance repair, and general construction. He had an exceptional ability to understand how things worked and how to fix them.

He had a close and loving relationship with his sister Jackie and remained a steady and supportive presence in her life. He was also deeply proud of his brother Jon, a respected Doctor of Chiropractic in Las Vegas.

Chris deeply loved his son, Noah, who remained an important part of his life.

In 2010, Chris met Karina while taking an Introduction to Engineering class at Glendale Community College. Their relationship grew from classmates and study partners into a lifelong partnership. They supported one another through their education, continuing together through the civil engineering program at California State University, Los Angeles, where Chris earned his bachelor’s degree, and later at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a master’s degree in structural engineering in 2016.

Chris worked as a structural engineer at SSFM International, where he took great pride in his work designing structures and solving complex engineering problems that would serve communities for years to come.

He will be remembered as a kind, patient, and generous friend and colleague who took time to help others and guide younger engineers with care and encouragement.

Chris and Karina were married in 2017 and moved to Hawaii, where they built a life together filled with love, travel, and shared adventure. They welcomed their beloved labradoodle, Sir Newton, in 2021.

Chris especially enjoyed traveling with Karina to national parks including Yosemite, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Olympic, and Mount Rainier, as well as throughout Hawaii, including a memorable helicopter flight over the Nā Pali Coast. He found joy not only in the destinations, but in experiencing them together.

Chris was also a talented artist with a strong creative spirit. He enjoyed drawing, painting, and music, and in his younger years participated in underground music events as a DJ.

He was known for his humor and his ability to bring lightness into difficult situations. Even after his diagnosis with glioblastoma, he continued to meet life with humor, acceptance, and quiet strength.

Chris will be remembered for his intelligence, craftsmanship, creativity, kindness, and the deep care he showed to those around him.

He is survived by his wife, Karina; his son, Noah; his siblings, Jon and Jackie; his cousins Marie and Shawnie; his father figure, Lee Ramer; his half-siblings, Strother, Steven, Tracy, and Alan; and many extended family members, friends, and colleagues who will miss him dearly.