Chris Wellwood

WELLWOOD, Christopher Robert (Colonel retired) late of the Canadian Guards and Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, on Sunday, August 30, 2026. He is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Elizabeth, who accompanied him to Germany twice, to Cyprus, to the USA and all across Canada, his daughter Jennifer (Mark Blain), son Mark (Sara Pilip) and two very special granddaughters, Quinn and Kate. Christopher was the brother of Michael (Mary-Anne) and Barbara (Bob Warnock).  He fought his final battle with the same warrior spirit and sense of humour that he had during his 37 years serving his Queen and Country.

Christopher, son of Reg and Iris Wellwood, was born during an air raid on the south coast of England in 1943 and traveled to Canada by convoy just prior to the end of World War II. He grew up in Oil Springs and Aylmer, joining the Elgin Regiment (27th Armoured) as the gun loader and radio operator in a Sherman tank before joining the Canadian Army (Regular). Chris was a peacekeeper, a warrior, a diplomat, a member of St Peter’s Anglican Church, a volunteer at the Pump House Museum, an avid bridge player, a long-time fisherman, a below average golfer, a model train enthusiast, and a good friend to many. He loved to travel with Liz and visited all the continents except for Antarctica. He held many command and senior staff positions around the world having served in Cyprus (three tours), Germany (two tours), Egypt, the USA, an operation in the Caribbean and the 1991 Gulf War. He especially relished teaching young officers when on the faculty at both command and staff colleges. He served from Esquimalt, BC to Doha,Qatar and from Resolute Bay, NWT to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1988 he shared the Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to UN Peacekeepers, with many thousands of other peacekeepers, when he commanded the Canadian Contingent of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus.

Chris was awarded the Gulf War 1991 Medal with Active Hostilities bar, the Canadian Peacekeeping Medal, the Special Service Medal with NATO bar, the United Nations Cyprus Medal with number 3, the United Nations Emergency Force Middle East Medal, the 1967 Canadian Centennial Medal, the Canadian Forces Decoration with two bars, the Liberation of Kuwait Medal from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Liberation of Kuwait Medal from the Republic of Kuwait, Canadian Parachute wings and the United States Army War College International Fellow graduate badge.

A memorial service will be held at St. Peter’s Anglican Church at 4333 Bath Road on Thursday, September 3rd, 2026. A time of visitation begins at 10am, with the funeral beginning at 11am and a reception will follow in the parish hall. If you are unable to attend and would like to watch via live-stream, or at a later point, it can be viewed via the St. Peter’s Youtube channel. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to St Peter’s Anglican Church, Kingston or the Canadian Cancer Society.