December 15, 1974 – May 30, 2024
It is with a profound sense of loss and sadness that we announce the passing of our husband, dad, and son, Chris Molcan. After bravely enduring 14 months of colon cancer, he passed away at home, surrounded by his loving family; wife, Tanya, children Ri and Parker, and mom, Jackie Maydanski. Chris is also survived by his cousin Dawn Molcan of Thunder Bay, as well as numerous aunts and uncles. The Achtemichuks have always been family to Chris, and in the last few months it meant everything to him to exchange phone calls, texts, and in person visits with Pat, Linda, Mark and Greig. Chris was born on December 15, 1974, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and his family relocated to Calgary shortly after in 1975.
He had great memories of growing up in Rundle with lifelong friends, Mark and Greig, and the rest of the neighbourhood friends. Some of his favourite memories from those days include remote control cars, the horsey park, go-kart building, Expo 86, and trips to Pigeon Lake with the Achtemichuk family. Chris graduated from James Fowler High School in 1992. He flourished on the football team, loving the camaraderie, connections and friendships that were made. All you can eat at Pizza Hut with the team, pregame meals at school, and calling all of his teachers by their first names (which they must have loved) were all highlights.
After receiving his Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of Calgary in 1998, Chris went from part-time Produce Clerk at Calgary Co-op to HR manager, and then Produce Manager. After he received his CFP from Mount Royal University in 2006, Chris left Co-op to begin a successful career in insurance, beginning at Hub Financial, moving to RBC Insurance, Sun Life, Marsh Canada, and for the last 11 years, Insurance Advisory Group Inc. Tanya and Chris began dating in 1997 and married in 2000. We celebrated our 24th anniversary in April. When our children Ri and Parker were born, Chris couldn’t have been happier. He loved nothing more than being with the kids, no matter what they were doing. Yardwork, homework, movies, vacations, cooking and baking, Chris just wanted to be near them. They will always know how important they are to him. We enjoyed numerous family holidays; spending hours on the beach in Hawaii and discovering turkey legs aren’t as good as we thought they would be in Disneyland. We had years of fun in our trailer at Shuswap Lake and when I suggested we needed something bigger, Chris had a cabin built. It was his goal to make his wife and children happy, and every decision he made was based on how it would affect the three people who were most important to him.
If a problem arose, it was his mission to fix it. His loyalty and love for us was immense. He encouraged Ri and Parker and tried to guide them, frequently telling them “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!” – Henry Ford (But really Stewie Griffin.) Chris made friends wherever he went. He laughed easily and was always ready with a funny or witty comment. He was larger than life. We take comfort in knowing Chris is no longer in pain and is free of suffering. He will be deeply missed. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice.
34 Comments
I am so sorry for your loss. Chris was such a wonderful man! I knew him as a co-worker at RBC and it was such a pleasure to work with him. He had such a great smile, and brightened every room he walked into. Rest in peace, Chris.
What a beautiful obituary and tribute. Thinking of everyone in this hard time. Condolences and love ❤️
Dear Tanya, Ri and Parker,
What a beautiful tribute to your husband and father. Your words truly show how wonderful Chris was.
We hope all those memories can give some comfort in the days to come.
Please accept our heartfelt sympathies on your tremendous loss.
Sincerely,
The Vande Buntes
Dear Molcan family: I am so very sorry to hear that Chris has passed away. I knew him well when we worked together at RBC Insurance, he was such a joyful person, as this picture shows, and when he spoke, everyone listened, he had terrific insights. My sincere condolences to you all.
Hi Tanya, let me express my deepest sympathy for your loss. The world has lost one of the great ones far too soon. Chris was a dedicated husband, a proud parent, a long-time colleague and one of my best friends. He was such a caring soul and always driven by passion to be the best he could be. Chris was the kind of man you would want your son to grow up to be.
I was fortunate in that Chris choose me as one of his mentors as he moved into the high net worth space in our market. That allowed me to spend quality time with him over the years. He was always willing to learn and truly cared about his clients and their well being. That focus on the people rather than the profit, made him the success he became.
I looked forward to our chats about our cottage/cabins. We both took tremendous pride in building something special that our families could enjoy. I remember him telling me about his first experience on his high-powered Skidoo. He learned quickly that you couldn’t turn without giving the machine some throttle. Not soon enough to stop him from driving over a dock!
We shared political views and a hatred for the divisive politics of the second coming of Trudeau. Chris was a proud westerner, and he was so hurt by the direction of this liberal party that seemed to cast the west aside. I shared his concerns and we both hoped a day would come when our country would again unite and everyone in the country was respected and treated as important as the other.
Chris knew about my love for Dairy Queen Blizzards and never missed an opportunity to take me to the restaurant when we were together and mock me about it. He found that I enjoyed savouring my treat while he inhaled his in minutes. He said he felt like giving us some time alone as I got intimate with my cookie dough blizzard. I reminded him that all good things deserve to be savoured and enjoyed slowly. He also remembered my love for the truck stop, Twisted Sisters, in Chamberlain Saskatchewan which was halfway between Saskatoon and Regina. There were only a handful of buildings in the whole town which everyone stopped at to refuel as you made the trek between these two larger cities. The restaurant was run by two older women and the whole front of the building was a giant menu that offered everything from fries to calamari. There was no internal seating, so you got to enjoy your burger and shake sitting on a stump while the tumbleweed blew by. Now that is Canadiana at its best. He never missed sending me a text whenever he went by that small town.
We have so many memories like that which I can carry with me forever as I think of Chris over the years. Now that his suffering has come to an end, we can focus on all those great memories Chris created for us. Although he has passed, he will never be forgotten. Chris, may you rest in peace.
Please send me the live link for the service on the 22nd.
Sincerely Herb.
I am so sorry for loss. Chris was an amazing guy and I have fond memories of our Produce Manager meetings we used to attend with Calgary Coop. I will always remember his sense of humour and quick wit. Gone way too soon.
OMG.. SO sorry to hear of Chris’s passing. He was a great guy. I worked with him at Hub Financial and we had a great time working together. He was a very family oriented guy but lost touch with him after I let Hub Financial. May his soul rest in peace and may God give the family strength and courage to bear his loss. Sincere condolences to the whole family.
My sincerest condolences on your loss. I may never have known Chris, but all I have ever heard from my colleagues is how kind and great he was. He will be missed by many.
A donation to the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada has been made in his memory.
That photo of Chris is the Chris I want to remember ! Fun loving ,caring,and an incredible husband, father and friend to everyone. I shared many recipies, and laughs with Chris something I will forever cherish.
You were such an important part of my life !
I will so miss you buddy ! May you RIP
Chris’ knowledge and business acumen were well evident when conversing with him. Chris was a true professional. My condolonces to the family.
I’m very saddened to hear of Chris’s passing. He was a high school friend of mine and I have many fond memories of him. He always knew how to make people laugh. My sincerest condolences to your entire family.
Dear Tanya, Ri, & Parker,
I’m truly sorry to hear of your loss. Chris was a good friend whom I met when I trained him the first week at HUB financial, and we remained friends ever since. He was a beautiful soul, brilliant man, hilarious, a man of values and morals, I loved him like a brother, and had all the time in the world for him. I hope that you can find comfort in all the amazing memories, and I pray that he will rest in peace as he smiles down on you from heaven. 🕊️
Sincerely,
Brent
This breaks my heart. We were friends from Junior High/Rundle back in the day. I remember his hearty laugh and sense of humor the most.
My family sends their love.
I was saddened to hear of Chris’ passing and offer my condolences to the family. I’ve known Chris for years, with our first interactions being when he was at Hub and I was at Equitable Life, but they carried on to RBC and Marsh. I always enjoyed our visits and his robust laugh. He was a character but also an expert in our field. His passing leaves a void that will not be easily filled – personally and professionally. Blessings to Chris’ family during this difficult time.
I will always remember all the great time we had growing up and seeing what a wonderful father and husband you had become. You will be missed
739165145.524270
Big Daddy
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Our hearts go out to you Tanya and Jackie. Chris was the textbook example of how a man should live his life. His amazing influence will live on in others, as will his memory.
Dear Tanya, Ri and Parker. So very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. May all the good times you had together as a family give you strength. Sending big hugs.
I am so sorry to hear about Chris’s passing. My deepest condolences to his beautiful family.
I will always remember Chris’s smile and infectious laugh. We spent many days in my first few years of university going for wing Wednesday at Chi Chi’s, hanging out with friends, and grabbing slurpees and driving around the city listening to music and laughing until my stomach hurt. I haven’t seen him in years and often missed his friendship. He was so kind and friendly to everyone he knew or met. A lot of my high school and university memories were filled with so much fun thanks to him. He was a true gem.
To Chris’ family, . I worked with Chris at Marsh and loved hearing his pizza making stories, his delight in building the “cabin” and his love of his family. I am so very sorry.
Tanya and family, my condolences to you at this very difficult time. Chris fought a very courageous battle. May your wonderful memories sustain you.
Sincerely Maureen Seward.
We were so very sorry to hear of Chris’s passing. We will always remember his friendliness and big smile. He was a stand up guy. We will miss him at the lake. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Sharon, Randy Pollyck and family
Dear Tanya, Ri and Parker, our sympathy on the loss of your husband and father.
I met Chris the first day that he entered the insurance business at Hub Financial. I liked him immediately. Kerry Cooper at Hub had asked me to perhaps spend some time with Chris and perhaps could I mentor him?
He was a quick learner and loved our business. We kept in touch over the years and had many fine conversations together. Certainly, he was one of the best wholesalers I knew.
I offer my condolences to everyone who knew Chris. Because we have all suffered a loss. What a pleasure it was to know him. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, laughter, business, acumen, and for the love of his family.
Certainly heaven has become a little bit happier with his presence and I can only imagine how they are enjoying Chris’s stories and having a chuckle.
I am so sorry to hear about Chris’ passing. My deepest condolences to your family. Our company was clients of his and he was always a pleasure to work with. Chris would make us laugh and brighten up our day when we had meetings with him. He will be missed!
I was a client for many years and really appreciated his professionalism and succinctness. It was delivered with a good dose of humour! Fair winds and following seas Chris!
Tim
Chris helped us to place life insurance on Calgary Flames players. In my interaction with him he was a bright and positive presence whenever we met with him and I viewed him as a trusted advisor who placed our interests first. I wasn’t aware that he was ill and am soooo sad to hear about his passing. I am so sorry for your loss Tanya, Ri and Parker and hope that all of the memories and stories that you receive help you to know that your husband and dad made a difference in the work that he did and had a very positive impact on those he worked with. He was a good man and I am glad to have known him.
Chris was a consultant on for a company I worked for and what always struck me is how positive, supportive, and genuine he was. He made moments matter and loved every moment life offered.
A saying in Ukrainian, translated into English, is “Memory Eternal”. May his love for family and friends, the positivity he spread, his kindness and compassion, and keen wit be remembered.
I’m saddened by the news. I knew Chris well in high school and was a great friend. He will be deeply missed by all. My deepest condolences
Tanya, Ri, and Parker, I am truly hearbroken at the loss of my dear friend, so can’t even imagine how devastating this must be for all of you.
I’ve known Chris for the last 10 or 11 years and was his RBC wholesaler for most of it. With his history at RBC, he always had great advice (and stories) to share. Even though we met each other through our work in the industry, it didn’t take long for us to become friends. He was one of the only ones who checked in on me when I went on mat leave with my first baby – something I appreciated so much!
Chris had such a big heart, was a great friend, incredibly smart, hardworking, loyal, and I admire him so much for the positive mark and impact he made on so many in this industry, especially his clients.
He had the best sense of humour (always had me laughing with his ‘back in the day’ RBC stories and impressions of people we knew), a smile that would light up the room, and overall an incredible human being – truly one of my favourite people.
I looked up to him as a mentor to me in this business, and attribute large parts of my knowledge and success to him. He was always willing to help, lend an ear, gave great advice, and I felt like he was one of my biggest cheerleaders.
Though you and I haven’t met yet, I feel like I know you through the stories he shared of your family trips to Hawaii, the building of your family cabin, pizza making, and even pictures of your Thanksgiving turkeys that you gave a name to each year. It was always evident how much he loved and addored his family though his stories.
While we kept in touch though his battle over the last 14 months, I missed seeing him and getting to talk to him all the time.
Thank you for the beautifully written memories of Chris and that picture – it captures him exactly as I know and remember him.
My heart goes out to you. The great ones always leave the biggest hole in our heart, and Chris was more than great, he was one of the best. I know all the bright and wonderful memories of Chris will forever live on in your hearts, my heart, and the hearts of all those whos lives he’s touched and impacted (which is a LOT).
Chris, I hope you knew how important you are to me, and how much I have valued our friendship. You are one of a kind and will be forever missed. I miss you my friend! Rest peacefully,
Your ‘buddy’, Mel
I am so very sorry to hear this news. Chris was my life insurance agent. He was very kind and helpful. He always went out of his way to do more than was required and he was very good at explaining complex topics to dummies like me. He was a wonderful man. I am very grateful to have known him. My prayers are with all of his friends and family.
Dear Tanta, Ri and Parker,
When you and Chris first gave us the sad news that he had a cancer, I knew he was facing a very daunting and difficult time. However ,in all of our subsequent conversations ,he always maintained an upbeat and positive attitude in spite of knowing the challenges that lay in front of him. He was a lesson to all of us in how to face adversity ,one which I will never forget.
When I first met Chris, those so many years ago, he was a big warm-hearted bear of a man whom I immediately liked and admired and although too many years went by when neither Claudette or myself saw the Calgary side of my family that image of him remained steadfast in my mind.
For you Tanya ,he became your friend , your husband, your soulmate; the two of you were meant for one another. For Ri and Parker he was a loving, caring and awesome father. His nature and essence have been an immeasurable part of your lives and will always be with you. Look upon those years as a blessing and perhaps you can find some solace in knowing what a wonderful man he was and that he is no longer in pain.
Chris faced his battle with courage, an example to all of us.
Your phone call advising us about Chris has deeply saddened me, all the more so because I wanted to visit him to let him know I will always be a part of your family.
That would have been a promise to Chris and now it is one to you ,Tanya ,Ri and Parker.
Love
Uncle Peter
Vancouver, BC
My condolences to Tanya, Ri and Parker. Chris will be truly missed. I always loved our chats reminiscing about the past and reliving funny stories. Chris was always the funniest guy in the room and he had the biggest heart. Miss you already brother.
Dear Tanya, Ri and Parker,
We are so very sorry for your loss!
Indeed, Chris was larger than life and a truly wonderful, kind and remarkable person in every way.
He will be missed by us but not forgotten and he will stay with us in our thoughts and prayers.
May our Lord be your comfort and strength and may you find comfort in the Lords promise that life is everlasting!
God bless you and keep you,
Mark & Christina Caldwell
Calgary
I am so sorry for your loss. I was fortunate to have known Chris and underwritten his cases with RBC for a few years. Chris was all about what was best for his clients and was a fantastic insurance partner. He was very personable, engaging and an all-around good person. He will be greatly missed.