Christine Renee Rickabaugh, 51, of Saratoga and Los Gatos, died May 2, 2017, surrounded by her parents, family and close friends.

Chris was born February 28, 1966, in San Jose. She graduated from Saratoga High School in 1984, and from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1988, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in political science. In 1988, Chris launched her professional career as a human resources recruiter for Apple. Thereafter, she parlayed her success at Apple into a job at Acuson as the Technical Recruiter .

In 1993, Chris was injured in a river rafting accident on the American River . As a result of her injuries, she was required to move into the Stonebrook Skilled Nursing Facility in Los Gatos, where she lived until she passed. At this facility, she was treated with the utmost care, love and kindness.

Throughout her life, there was nothing Chris loved more than spending time with her family and friends. She treasured the love and devotion of her parents and her two brothers, and you could tell she shared a special bond with her nephew, Ryan, because her face would light up every time she saw him. We will remember and miss her love for adventure, her bright blue eyes, her quick wit and raucous laugh, and the spunky personality that made her one of the most entertaining people you could hope to be around. If Chris was in a room with you, you knew it, because of the way she filled every room with her giant smile and her generous laughter.

Chris also was bright, analytic and fiercely loyal to her many friends – indeed, she was that rare type of individual who was able to make a lasting impact on everyone she met.

Survivors include her parents, Kathy and Harry Shehtanian of Saratoga and Bob and Anne Rickabaugh of Sacramento; brothers, Mark Rickabaugh of San Diego, and Nick Shehtanian of Saratoga; grandparents, Don and Dolores Emanuel of Fremont, Nebraska; nephew, Ryan of San Diego; 11 aunts and uncles and many cousins.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to Sacred Heart Church.