Christie J. Patunas of Leland, NC, formerly of River Vale, NJ,  peacefully passed away on Saturday, November 30, 2024. He was born and raised in Jersey City, NJ to the late Eugene and Evangelia (nee Mixaporupulos) Patunas.

Chris was the beloved husband of Susanne Patunas (nee Montecalvo) and devoted father to Christie V. Patunas and Alexandra Patunas. Dear brother to Kay Eakin and her husband Robert and the late George and Eugene Patunas. Chris was a loving Uncle to all of his nieces and nephews.

As a teenager Chris loved sports, excelling in boxing. In 1962, he advanced to the semi-finals of the Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament.

During his teens and early 20's, Chris worked in Sabrett's Bakery before deciding to join the Army to serve his country. While stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas, Chris volunteered to be a cook in a WAC detachment on the base, and later, when his unit received orders to deploy to Vietnam on the USS Upshur, he also volunteered as a cook on the journey overseas.

Years later, this cooking experience led him and a partner to open up a restaurant in Edgewater, NJ called "Christie's Flagship". About 10 years later, they closed the "Flagship", then opened another restaurant nearby called "The Hudson River Bar & Grill".

Also, during this time, Chris and his brothers formed "Flagship Construction Co.", and then some years later, "Juno Construction Co.", which Chris managed until his retirement.

Chris was a man of tremendous energy who loved to cook, serving up great meals for family and friends. His greatest gift, however, was his sense of humor. He was not so much a "joke teller" as he was a "story teller". He provided many, many laughs for the family throughout the years.

Chris was a big presence in our lives. He is and will be dearly missed.

A Memorial Visitation will be held at Costa Memorial Home Boulevard and Central Avenue in Hasbrouck Heights on Tuesday, April 8th from 6 - 8 PM. A Mass will be offered at the Church of the Presentation 271 W. Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River on Wednesday, April 9th at 11:15 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Alzheimer's Association in memory of Chris would be appreciated.