Christian Jean Sellies

July  4th, 1958 January  2nd, 2025
Sydney, Australia
Christian Jean Sellies

TURN AGAIN TO LIFE

If I should die and leave you here a while,
Be not like others, sore undone, 
Who keep long vigil by the silent dust and weep.
For my sake turn again to life and smile, 
Nerving thy heart and trembling hands to do
That which will comfort other souls than thine;
Complete these dear unfinished tasks of mine,
And I, perchance, may therein comfort you.

- Mary Lee Hall

Obituary

Christian Jean Sellies embodied love. He loved all and he loved hard. He loved his dear wife and love of his life, Juliette; his two children, Varvara and Alexis, who he cherished many fond experiences and adventures with, and more recently his adoration for granddaughter, Chrysavyi.
He loved his friends, and his friends loved him, dearly.
He showed those who did not know how to love, and those reasons why to love.
He cherished family most of all, and it extended well past his immediate clan, to extended relations, long lost cousins and branches of the family tree; his wife would say "he loved sans frontières". He put aside misfortune and buried many hatchets, for the sake of family.
He loved strangers, and he loved the oldest of friends; he loved the young and the old, and in turn they loved him.
He loved music, food, travel, adventure, the world game, history, culture, learning, art, the ocean, the trees, the outback and the bush.
He just loved love and he loved his life, even when life wasn't always kind to him.
Christian is and will forever be; love.

Timeline

1958
July 4th
Birth
Born 4th July 1958, premature by two months to Roger Leopold Sellies and Jeanine Sellies (née

Laub).
Bergerac, France
1975
January 17th
Immigrated to Australia
Lived with his Father, Roger Sellies after cyclone Tracey devastated Darwin, Northern Territory.
Christian completed senior school at Nightcliff and Darwin High School, where he met life long friends; Michael Dunn, Helen Vita and Serge Vita. This was a huge culture shock rom his Parisian boarding school experiences.
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
1978
March
Moved to Sydney
Started university at UNSW, studying Economics, followed by Arts, and completed his Honours Degree in 1983. 
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
1979
Met the love of his life
Christian met Juliette Mavroidis, and although she wasn't immediately head over heels for him, he had her in his sights from their first interaction with a 'sip of coke'...
Science Cafeteria, UNSW Kensington Campus, Sydney, Australia
1983
December 26th
Christian and Juliette Married
The couple married in St Euphemia Greek Orthodox Church, in front of family and friends and celebrated their nuptials in Yiayia Panayiota's back yard.
Bankstown, Australia
1984
January
Relocated to Darwin
Christian and Juliette packed up their newlywed lives and relocated for the first time together to Darwin. 
Ludmilla, Darwin, Australia.
1986
Bought their first home
They would buy their first home together in Darwin, before heading overseas for their year long trip.
Anula, Darwin Australia
1987
Europe Honeymooners in a Combi Van
In a belated honeymoon of sorts, Christian would convince Juliette (not the first and not the last of many crazy ideas he had) to buy a combi van in London, and travel through Europe for almost a year; England, Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco and France where Juliette would meet his family for the first time.
If you can last a year in a combi van, with bed bugs, you know you've done it right.
Europe
1990
Moved to Mackay
For a scene change, the couple bought land and built (yes, actually built) their ocean front family home overlooking Lamberts Beach, Slade Point. Christian loved spending his spare time and weekends on his Dennis yatch, bright orange of course!
Mackay, Northern Queensland, Australia
1991
October 2nd
Birth of Varvara Angelique Sellies
The couple would welcome their first child and daughter. Fun fact: the couple were convinced they were having a boy and settled on the name Ulysses, but Juliette vetoed this, and landed on Varvara, after the church in her village.
Mackay, Queensland, Australia
1993
April 6th
Birth of Alexis Francois Sellies
The couple would welcome their second child and son. Fun fact: His original middle name 'Julian' was a point of contention with Christian, and they soon landed on a new middle name, Francois.
Mackay, Queensland, Australia
1994
Moved back to Darwin (aka Little Cyprus)
Brinkin Terrace, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia.
1998
Back to Sydney and '98 World Cup
First overseas family holiday was of course based around the World Cup - Vive la France!
France
1999
Settled in Sydney's Northern Beaches
After a short stint in Narrabeen Caravan Park, Christian and his family found their forever home and house in the trees in Cromer, where he happily spent the rest of his life, travelling often, sailing, playing soccer, cooking his famous paellas, eating well and drinking good wine with people he loved and cared about.
Cromer, Sydney, Australia
2025
January 2nd
Leaving the world a little brighter.
Christian sadly passed away, peacefully surrounded by family, after a long and stoic 10 year battle with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. A beloved husband, father and Papou who brought so much joy, laughter and child-like adventure to all things in life.

He touched so many people’s lives and his legacy will live on in his family, and those who were lucky enough to have known him.
He has left us, but he is never forgotten. In our hearts, always.
Sydney, Australia

Gallery


Memory wall

We would love for you to write a fond memory, event or occasion you shared with Christian accompanied by a photo to immortalise his life and story. 


Family tree

Karl Laub
Carmen Garcia
Teresine Mroppo
Vincent Sellies
Jeanne Claude Laub
Roger Leopold Sellies
Juliette Sellies (nee Mavroidis)
Veronique Sellies
Marc Sellies
Varvara Angelique Sellies
Chrysavyi Mary Sweeten
Alexis Francois Sellies
Veronique Sellies
Marc Sellies
Juliette Sellies (nee Mavroidis)
Varvara Angelique Sellies
Chrysavyi Mary Sweeten
Alexis Francois Sellies
Christian Sellies

Favorites


What was Christian's favorite Sport?
The World Game - Football (Soccer)
What was Christian's favorite Drink?
Scotch and Red Wine
What was Christian's favorite Food or Dish?
Paella or Greek Octopus
What was Christian's favorite Sports Team?
Arsenal Football Club
What was Christian's favorite Book?
Jules Verne Books
Fun fact about Christian:
He could fix anything! Literally anything!
Christian's superpower
Love.
What was Christian's favorite Travel destination?
Greece
What was Christian's favorite Music / Song?
While My Guitar Gently Weeps, The Beetles
What was Christian's favorite Movie?
The Star Wars Films (Pre-Disney)

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Together, let us continue the legacy of compassion and kindness that he embodied throughout his life.

https://alumni.unsw.edu.au/Giving/CancerResearchFund
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