Christopher James Day

Chris Day of La Jolla, California, passed away unexpectedly on July 16, 2026 after hiking near Lake Tahoe with a lifelong friend. He was 73 years young and an exceptional husband, friend, athlete, teammate, mentor and dog dad. Chris lived life fully, loved deeply, and embraced each day with purpose until his final day. He faced life’s unexpected turns with courage, resilience, and determination inspiring those who knew him with his steady presence and quiet strength. Chris was born at the Naval Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland to Suzanne and Donovan Day. He grew up in Walnut Creek, California, where he developed a lifelong passion for athletics. As a young man, he was a competitive swimmer and played high school water polo and football, developing the discipline and team commitment that would define his life. He attended the University of California, Davis, where he played water polo and in 1975 earned a bachelor’s degree in Plant Pathology. After a brief period in graduate school, he joined the United States Navy and trained as a Navy SEAL. A shoulder injury brought that chapter of his military service to an end, and Chris subsequently served as a naval engineering officer before transitioning to a successful 30-year civilian career in commercial construction. He began his construction career managing projects for the University of California, Irvine before joining Koll Construction. In 1995, he joined the founding team of Swinerton Builders’ newly established San Diego office, where he played a pivotal role in growing the division into one of the company’s most successful operations. His leadership, vision, and dedication led to a national role as Vice President, Business Development, before his retirement in 2014. Throughout his career, Chris earned the admiration and respect of colleagues, clients, and friends through his integrity, collaborative leadership style, enthusiasm, steadfast commitment to teamwork and genuine interest in helping others succeed. A dedicated pool and ocean swimmer, competitive runner, and cyclist, Chris competed in triathlons, road and trail races, and open-water swimming competitions for decades. He competed in countless road races, the 10-mile Maui Channel swim as a solo swimmer, Trans Tahoe relay races with “Rock Bottom,” Maui channel relays with his UCSD Masters swimming friends and numerous Gatorman races, stopping only when the requisite body parts gave up. Retirement allowed Chris more time to devote to the people, dogs, and causes he loved. He prioritized his adopted Labradors Hurley and Wyatt, strengthening relationships with family and friends, serving on nonprofit boards, volunteering, and mentoring others. He served on the boards of Vista Hill Foundation and ACE Mentor Program of San Diego and volunteered as a docent aboard the USS Midway. He mentored military service members transitioning to civilian life, friends, the children and grandchildren of friends, and current and former UC Davis water polo team members. Chris believed deeply in showing up for others. Chris was all-in when it came to experiencing life to the fullest. He summited Mount Rainier, Grand Teton, and Mount Olympus. Together, he and his wife Valerie embraced an active life, trekking through the Alps, Andes, and Dolomites, and swimming, diving and kayaking in Hawaii, Grand Cayman, Australia, Fiji, Palau and Tonga. Throughout his life, Chris’ love of animals and the natural world inspired a deep commitment to conservation. He was a long-time supporter of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, where he adopted orphaned elephants and rhinos in need. In May 2026, he and his wife, Valerie, shared the unforgettable experience of meeting Taroha, their adopted elephant, and other orphans at the Sheldrick nursery in Nairobi, Kenya, at the start of a three-week African adventure with friends. Chris is survived by his wife of 25 years, Valerie Day; his cousin, Sally Sharpe of Colorado Springs; and David Edwards, now 26, his longtime “Little Brother” through the Big Brothers program. He is also survived by countless friends who became family. He is deeply missed and remembered by those whose lives he touched. He will be remembered for his enthusiasm for life, dedication to lifelong fitness, strong work ethic, commitment to family and friends, love of animals, generosity, and wonderful sense of humor. Donations may be made in Chris' memory to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org) or the UC Davis men’s Water Polo Development Fund (https://give.ucdavis.edu/ICAI/SPTDMPE).

Tributes

Christopher James Day

June 28, 1953 - July 16, 2026