Christopher Svend Laursen died on Feb. 12 at home in Vineyard Haven, surrounded by his family and new wife, Kristen. He was 36 and had battled an aggressive sarcoma for the past year with much strength, grace, and courage.

He was born on July 30, 1982, on Martha’s Vineyard, the son of Dr. Peter and Marie Laursen. Chris was close to his brother Timothy, Tim’s partner Ann, his sister Emily Biocchi, her husband Dominick, and his dear nieces, Eliana and Nora. He is also survived by a large extended family.

He attended the Vineyard Montessori School, the Tisbury School, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and the University of Massachusetts, interspersed with several years of traveling and working in Europe, Patagonia and Alaska. His life was filled with many friends, who lovingly dubbed him Too Tall, in reference to his six-foot, five-inch frame. He will always be remembered for his wonderful smile.

Chris worked as a web designer and developer, creating many websites for Martha’s Vineyard and New York City businesses. He loved music, soccer, biking, hiking, video games, adventure, and playing volleyball at Lucy Vincent Beach. He married Kristen Butler, his soulmate, on Feb. 9. He was a gentle soul with a sense of humor and was well-loved. He will live on in our hearts forever.

Hundreds of people attended a memorial service for Chris to offer tributes and to commemorate his life — a true testament to the many lives he touched in his 36 years.

Donations in Chris’s memory can be made to one of the following organizations: LetsEncrypt.org, DetroitWaterProject.org, IGIMV.org, BlackGirlsCode.com, ResilientCoders.org, MassBailFund.org, BeyondBoston.org, RaicesTexas, MVMuseum.org, or hospiceofmv.org.

To learn more about Chris and see his work, visit chrislaursen.com.