Outdoorsman, travel enthusiast, mechanical engineer

Surrounded by family and friends, former Claremont resident Chris Miller died September 27, at the age of 49, following cardiac surgery.

Chris was born in Duarte, California. He lived in Claremont from the age of four, attending Oakmont Elementary School and El Roble, and graduating from Claremont High in 1988. He attended Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo and then San Francisco State, where he earned his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering.

After college, Mr. Miller stayed in San Francisco, where he met the love of his life Kenia Maldonado. They were married in 2006 and had two children—Sebastian, now 11, and Raquel, 8.

“Chris loved life. He was charismatic, giving and friendly to all,” his family shared. “He was an extraordinary husband, father, son, and brother. He would do anything for his friends and family and loved to laugh.”

Mr. Miller carved his life and career in the San Francisco Bay Area, working as a mechanical engineer and later project manager in the biopharmaceutical industry. He worked for such companies as Bayer Healthcare, Boehringer Ingelheim and Genentech. He and his family enjoyed everything San Francisco had to offer, taking advantage of the outdoors, culture and dining.

Recently, the family spent a year and a half living in Mexico City, traveling the country, enjoying many cultural activities, and always seeking out “the best tacos,” Chris’s favorite.

Mr. Miller was rarely still. He loved the outdoors and was an avid mountain biker. He enjoyed other sports and activities from ping-pong and pool to badminton, basketball, swimming and skiing. Here in Claremont, it was never easy to get him out of the family pool for dinner, especially when his kids were in there with him.

Mr. Miller is survived by his wife Kenia, and their children, Sebastian and Raquel, of Davis, California; his parents, Katie and Clyde Miller of Claremont; his sister, Gretchen Miller Giddings, brother-in-law John Giddings and two nephews, Nathan and William, of San Jose, California

A celebration of his life will take place Saturday, November 16 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross, California.