Devoted son, brother, father, uncle, partner, friend and Dodger fan. Christopher was the fifth and final child born to Esther and Luis and baby brother to Martha, Luis Jr., Esther and Jaime. Our 'bonus baby' came to us quite unexpectedly, seven years after the birth of the last Mata child, since most of us were under the assumption that our little family was complete. Chris turned out to be a welcomed addition to our family. What joy it was to have him in our lives! Chris was a precocious child and kept us entertained with his antics and actions. He was well-liked by his teachers and fellow students and while attending elementary, junior and high schools, Chris formed life-long friendships. It was always said that Chris was the most popular kid in the crowd. As a young adult, Chris met Minerva and soon they became the proud parents of Amber Koren. In his mid-20's, he met and married Dicie and they became the parents of Sierra Dawn. It was during this period that Chris moved his little family to Arizona, then to Nevada with the company he worked for. When he was in his early thirties, he had settled into a relationship with Valerie and became the father of Christopher, Jr. Chris was always an attentive dad who cherished his children and showered them with love and affection. His kids were always a part of his life and he spent as much time with them individually or as a 'modern' family and stayed on good terms with the mothers of his children. Chris was a life-long Dodger fan and attended many games at Chavez Ravine. He was also a fan of wrestling, the Lakers, UCLA and his beloved Seattle Seahawks. He loved the music of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Janis Joplin and was frequently tearing it up in the middle of the mosh pit at X concerts. Chris was affable and easy-going and considering his size, could be characterized as a 'gentle giant'. His stature never affected his sensitivity or the ability to approach his family or friends and readily plant a kiss on your cheek or greet you with a big hug. He ended every conversation with his family with "Okay, love you!" Chris was funny, smart, thought-provoking and a force to be reckoned with. His memory will live on through his family and friends and every time we hear the song 'I Love L.A.' by Randy Newman. He was proud to be a native of California, loved Los Angeles and was fiercely loyal to the city of Pico Rivera.

We all lost a bit of our hearts with his passing. We will miss him forever.

Cause of death: Heart disease brought on by diabetes.