BRITTANY YEAROUT
Assistant news editor
Peace and love filled the air as songs were sung, prayers said, stories shared and toasts made in celebration of the life of Chris Sangster this week. A man who lived for orange and blue, Sangster was diagnosed with brain cancer in August of 2006 and passed away Tuesday night after being in a coma for five days. He was 58.
A memorial service will be held Sunday from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. in Elkins Auditorium, immediately followed by a reception.
“How do you describe a wonderful man like Chris?” asked Claudia Sangster, Chris’ wife of 31 years. “He had a grin that lights up every room. He loved people and was the ultimate Pepperdine fan. He talked about Pepperdine to whoever he met. He loved the school so much. He was my best friend, my biggest supporter and he made me laugh.”
Chris and Claudia met at a devotional on the first day the Malibu campus opened in 1972. Since then, Chris started the first alumni program, Homecoming Week and founded Private College and University Alumni Directors, in which 45 private universities share advancements in alumni relations.
Claudia and Chris’ license plates read “Pep Gal” and “Pep Guy” so that everyone knew his heart was given to Pepperdine, according to Claudia.
“He wore Pepperdine clothes everywhere he went because he wanted people to ask him about Pepperdine,” Claudia said. “He is just a wonderful man who has such an impact on so many lives, I didn’t even know the extent until these past couple of weeks.”
The mission of Pepperdine was rooted in Sangster, shown by his faith, devotion to Claudia and helping others. In 2001, Chris was named assistant dean of Advancement and Alumni Relations for Seaver College and George Pepperdine College.
“He was a true friend and he loved to meet people and to make friends,” said Dawn Pettersen, interim director of Advancement and Alumni Relations. “So this role was the perfect fit. I think Chris would say that he loved to make a difference in peoples’ lives and that difference was bringing them back to the Pepperdine family or sharing anything else in a special way. He wanted to be a positive force in peoples’ lives and this job allowed him to do it.”
Pettersen announced Wednesday that the university will establish a scholarship fund in Chris’ name. She described Chris as a genuine and caring man who had a handshake and a hug like no one else.
“He was always positive, regardless, and was a very strong Christian who was very devoted to his wife Claudia,” Pettersen said. “He was every woman’s dream man, just a really great guy but also a great friend to alumni. If it weren’t for Chris there would not have been any alumni program at all.”
Chris was always seen at Pepperdine athletic games, and he and Claudia donated money in support of the teams, according to Pettersen.
“He loved Pepperdine athletics and it wasn’t just basketball or baseball, it was everything,” Pettersen said. “He was at every single home game for every athletic team. He followed athletics so closely because he wanted to be able to brag about them to our alumni.”
With the amount of time and love Chris gave to Pepperdine, Claudia asks the thousands of people he has touched to remember him by living out the Pepperdine mission. Her sister, Ann Batten-Bishop, said Chris was a very strong Christian.
“He was God’s faithful servant, — the epitome of Pepperdine and all it stands for,” Batten-Bishop said. “I don’t know anyone that loved and was more proud of Pepperdine than Chris.”
During the final weeks of his life, those who knew Chris visited him and his wife to say thank you. They told her how Chris impacted their lives, and brought their children because they wanted them to meet him.
Those who were with Chris when he passed on said even though he was unconscious, there were visible signs that he was comforted by the presence of those who loved him.
“When he was in a coma and heard her (Claudia) voice, his breathing would become even and he would relax. They had such a strong love that he could even feel and understand her while unconscious,” said Cyndi Pardee, a close friend of Chris’ for 34 years.
Chris took his last breath when his wife was snuggled next to him. He was wrapped in a green prayer shawl over which each stitch was prayed. His friends and family keep singing.
“He was thankful for everything every day,” Batten-Bishop said. “He was thankful for all his blessings and just praising God the whole time.”
02-14-2008
