Christopher O. Fried, a resident of Martha’s Vineyard, died on June 20. He was 73.

Born in Great Neck Plaza, N.Y. on July 11, 1946, Chris grew up on Long Island. He studied mechanical engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J. In the middle 1970s, he moved to Pennsylvania with his first wife, Melissa Dyas, where he began his career in renewable energy.

In 1985, Chris and his second wife, Judy Salosky, bought land and moved to Vineyard Haven. He focused on designing, building and renovating homes to be more energy-efficient. Some of his Island contributions include working as a solar engineer, an air quality consultant and the clerk of works for the Edgartown School, Island Elderly Housing, the Edgartown police station, the town hall and the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

Environmentalism and peace activism were his life’s work. Chris was very active in his community, organizing rallies, attending town meetings and posting signs around the Island about ending war and stopping climate change. Chris was involved in the Peace Council and Habitat for Humanity. For decades, he provided affordable housing for year-round Islanders.

An avid bike rider, he was passionate about the safety of bike paths on the Island. Chris was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard and studied A Course in Miracles.

People knew Chris as a gentle spirit, a good listener, an honest, hard worker and a devoted father. Chris loved animals and was often seen walking his dog. From the time he was born, sailing was a part of his life and, later, he became a competitive windsurfer. He played the guitar, piano and sang in the choir.

He took joy in tending his organic vegetable garden. Except for the occasional batch of homemade ice cream, eating nutritious, healthy food was his top priority. Over the years he played ice hockey, volleyball, ping pong and practiced yoga.

Chris is finally at peace after battling Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. He suffered from lifelong depression and, for the last few years, chronic Lyme disease. Both illnesses played a role in his dementia.

Chris is survived by his daughter, Heather Dyas-Fried and her husband Sean Roach; his siblings, Walter Fried and Susanne Farrington; two ex-wives, with whom he remained friends; and two grandchildren.

Chris worked with and donated to causes too varied and plentiful to list. If you would like to make a donation in Chris’s memory, please choose your favorite environmental or peace organization.

A potluck beach party will be planned next summer to celebrate his life. We hope to see Chris there as he often said he may return as a seagull.