Christopher Evangelos Pappas, 57, passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 5, 2026. He was born in Long Beach, California, the son of Catherine and Dino Pappas. Chris and his younger sister, Tina, grew up in the Orange County suburb of Laguna Niguel, just miles from the beach on a quiet, palm tree-lined cul-de-sac. Always proud of his Greek roots, he Greek danced all the way through high school, attended weekly Greek — or as he jokingly called them at the time, “Freak” — school lessons, and competed in the Greek dance competition, FDF, every year with his close friends and sister. In college, he studied at Cal State Fullerton, where he graduated with a B.A. in Religious Studies.

Chris loved his routines and he liked to keep them simple from morning walks with the family’s dog, Leventi, to evening chats with his father. He enjoyed his voltas — drives to his favorite local spots like Barnes & Noble, Board and Brew, Chick-fil-A, and, of course, Starbucks, where he was a regular. He also loved sharing these routines with his niece and nephew, who could always count on a book run with their uncle.

Beloved by many, from his childhood friends in the family village of Niata to his classmates at Dana Hills. Christopher — whose name carries the root φέρω (phéro), meaning “to bear or to bring” — brought nothing but immense joy, pride, and love to his family. He would always bring his niece and nephew home — typically with a quick stop for coffee or fries — from elementary school all the way until they could drive on their own. Chris was there for his family through the good and the bad, and always with an adoring pinch on the cheek and the repeated, though much-needed, reminder: “This too shall pass.”

And while nothing will ever replace Chris’s place at the table, the family is immensely grateful for the time they had together — years of living down the street from one another, and, even when apart, the routine phone calls and texts to recount their days, something they will never take for granted. Whether family dinners listening to Greek music on the TV and debating politics, or those special one-on-one drives with him always behind the wheel, there is sadness today, but there is also great gratitude for Kicho.

Chris is survived by his mother and father, Catherine and Dino; his sister, Tina; and his niece and nephew, Ryan and Costa.

The funeral service will be private. A memorial service celebrating Chris’s life will be held at a later date at St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church in San Juan Capistrano, where he was a longtime member.