Christopher J. Hart

The remarkable Christopher J. Hart—a living legend—was suddenly called Home to our Lord last Thursday, due to complications from pulmonary edema. To each of his innumerable friends and family, Chris was the constant who quietly held everyone together. Chris will always be with us. A devout Roman Catholic Christian in the truest sense, he lived his faith through both daily devotion and action. He followed the Christian path of faith and works with joy—and always a well-placed joke. Anyone who brought a problem to Chris knew—his soul rooted in humble compassion—that they would be met with a thoughtful ear, a warm heart, and a humorous insight that led to clarity. Chris’s humor could lift any room. His side-eyed grin made everyone feel like they were sharing an inside joke just with him. That joyful spirit remains indelibly in our memories, quietly encouraging us still. His patient, hilarious wit—always disarming, never sharp—could pull you out of darkness, just as the rarest souls do. Now, for the “was’s”… Chris was EVP of Operations at Hart Lyman Companies. A confidant, advisor, and quiet leader, he will be irreplaceable. He had many passions: an artist, an outdoorsman, a traveler. He hiked most major national parks with his brother Guy, went off-roading, and enjoyed hunting with his dad. He explored far-flung corners of the world—he’d been to dirty little places in the South China Sea you’ve never even heard of. He got Zika in Burma, rescued a dog in Shanghai, and had other wild adventures the world over. Chris was also a true sneakerhead. He didn’t just collect rare finds—he studied sneaker design at the famed Shoe Surgeon, created his own designs, and built and sold sneakers himself. He had a singular presence and style, somehow managing to pull off a look that balanced buttoned-up professionalism with streetwise credibility. But above all, Chris was a man of deep faith, strengthened by his 12-year addiction recovery. Humbly, he would always point to his own role in it. But for those of us who knew and loved him, we knew the story was much different. As a younger man, he had a serious back injury that was treated with copious pharmaceutical opioids—a sad and familiar story to many, one that often leads to tragic outcomes. He also suffered from anxiety that sometimes kept him from sleeping for days. For a while, these demons gripped him. God’s grace changed that. He spent much of the last decade truly in service to everyone—loved ones and detractors alike. See, Chris didn’t care about the crowd that blames. His goodness overcame all of it. He cared about helping others out of mental health crises and addiction. That’s all that mattered to him. Once, asked by a close friend what he did when he felt a temptation to use, his answer was simple and profound: “When I think of using, they taught me to perform an act of service for others—like feed a homeless person, help someone in need, or simply carry out an act of kindness for someone you love. It produces a feeling of joy and purpose. It’s all you can do.” This truly Christ-like-Walk embodies Chris’s spirit and his actions up to the last day. His legacy will live on through those of us whose lives he changed—through our actions and the work we do to perpetuate that love. Chris was a weekly communicant at Holy Cross Church in Dewitt. He prayed the Rosary and practiced many devotions daily. He studied theology with both intellectual rigor and spiritual humility. That faith was not abstract—it was service in action. He made everyone feel like they were his top priority. Tireless in caring for others—family, friends, or even a homeless person he just met—Chris’s love was truly unconditional. He is survived by his parents, Guy and Melissa Hart; his siblings, Guy, Missy, Mary, Heidi St. Onge (Tristan), Sheri Sweeting; and many loving family members, godchildren, nieces and nephews, and an extended circle of friends who will never stop feeling his presence. Thank you for helping us honor the life of the extraordinary Chris Hart. A funeral Mass in celebration of Christopher’s life will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at St. Rose of Lima Church, 409 S. Main St., North Syracuse, NY. Family and friends may call from 4:00 – 7:00 pm on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at the THOMAS J. PIRRO JR. FUNERAL HOME, 3401 Vickery Rd. (corner of Buckley Rd.) North Syracuse, NY. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Christopher’s memory may be made to Joseph’s House for Women, 802 Court Street, Syracuse, NY 13208 or Griffin’s Guardians https://www.griffinsguardians.org/contact.html.

Christopher J. Hart

January 15, 1987 - June 5, 2025