Christopher McErlean of Flanders, known to all as Chris Mac, was an avid fisherman, basketball player, and Golden Gloves-winning boxer who won a lightweight division title 19 years ago.
Mr. McErlean, who grew up in Sag Harbor, died suddenly on Nov. 23 at his office in Holbrook. Death was attributed to an undiagnosed heart infection. He was 38.
Born in Riverhead on Sept. 9, 1983, Christopher Michael McErlean was a son of Tom McErlean of Noyac and Deborah Dominy Heusser of Boynton Beach, Fla., both of whom survive.
Tom McErlean described his son as respectful, generous, loving, and loyal. “Chris was a good soul,” he wrote on Facebook last week. “He had his challenges, but he was exceptionally generous and gave when he didn’t have much to give to help people.”
Christopher McErlean graduated from Pierson High School in 2001 and went on to study horticulture for a time at the State University at Cobleskill. He worked in his father’s landscaping business and more recently as a loan officer.
He was extremely proud of the athlete accomplishments of his youngest brother, Ben McErlean, a scholarship-winning runner at Manhattan College.
Mr. McErlean and Jillian Intermaggio were married nine years ago. She survives, as do their two children, Aiden Harold, 10, and Luke Michael, 8. He passed on his love of fishing and playing basketball to his sons.
“Chris Mac never looked for acknowledgment. He just helped a lot of people — the true Robin Hood of his time,” his father said.
In addition to his brother Ben, Mr. McErlean leaves four more siblings. They are Nick McErlean of Sag Harbor, Thomas McErlean of Charleston, W.Va., Sarah McErlean of Sag Harbor and Brooklyn, and Emily Heusser of Boynton Beach. His stepmother, Cindy McErlean, and his grandparents Beverly and Ronald Fick of East Hampton also survive.
Burial was on Nov. 30 at Oakland Cemetery in Sag Harbor.
