PORT TOWNSEND, WA
On July 29, 2016, surrounded by close friends at the Life Care Center of Port Townsend, WA, Chris lost his battle with cancer. A native of Oklahoma and former resident of Pasadena and Baltimore, MD, Chris graduated from Oklahoma State University and served as a captain in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He was a devoted public servant for many years, serving as a regional parks director in Georgia; director of state parks in Oklahoma; director of the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation/Heritage, Conservation & Recreation Service in the Dept. of Interior under President Carter; director of the Baltimore City Dept. of Recreation & Parks; first executive director of the Maryland Stadium Authority; and assistant deputy state health commissioner for Oklahoma. He co-founded the Parks & People Foundation in Baltimore and, most recently, founded The Park Advocate, a virtual advocacy movement focused on improving Baltimore's parks, playgrounds, trees and trails. Among Chris' many awards were the President's Award from the Nature Conservancy, the Heroism Award from the New York City Parks Department, the Outstanding Public Administrator award in Oklahoma, and the Bronze Star for service in Vietnam. He is survived by his son, Evan Delaporte, of Los Angeles, CA; his former wife, Anita Delaporte, of Edgewater, MD; a sister, Otie Ann Fried, of Oklahoma City; and many close friends. A memorial service is being planned for the fall in Baltimore. Donations in Chris' memory may be made to The 6th Branch ( http://the6thbranch.org ), an organization involving veterans in community service initiatives in Baltimore. Please mark donations as "Chris Delaporte Fund." http//the6thbranch.org

Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Tuesday, August 9, 2016, Page 6A.