Christopher Maury Faison, 74, of Carbondale and Aspen passed away from a sudden heart attack on December 28, 2018, at Valley View Hospital with family by his side.
Chris was born December 10, 1944, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to S. Lane Jr. and Virginia (Weed) Faison. He and his three brothers, Gordon, George, and Sandy, spent their formative years in Williamstown, Massachusetts, home to Williams College, where Lane headed up the art department. Education was in Chris’ blood, and it surprised no one when he became a teacher himself. In 1976, he, along with his wife, Sally, moved to Aspen to take a position at the Wildwood School. For 10 years, he taught and drove the school bus, infusing his love of learning and the outdoors to preschoolers before moving to the Aspen Community School in Woody Creek. There, he spent more than 30 years teaching first- and second-graders and turning them (and many of their parents) into life-long learners. Chris’ cheerful presence in the community was constant, and many thousands of children and their families were touched by his kind and generous heart. May his legacy of connecting with people, communing with nature, and exploring the world with childlike wonder live on.
Chris is survived by wife Sally, daughters Hannah and Amanda, son-in-law Heath, granddaughters Ella and Georgia, and a close network of family and friends spanning the world. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Chris’ name to Aspen Community School, P.O. Box 336, Woody Creek, CO 81656. A celebration of life will take place in the spring — please bring a favorite rock.