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34-Year-Old Victim Of Two-Vehicle Hudson Valley Crash Remembered As Talented Musician

A popular Hudson Valley musician is being remembered by family and friends after being killed in a two-vehicle crash.

A.J. Christie

A.J. Christie

Photo Credit: William M. Gagan Funeral Home

Orange County resident A.J. Christie, also known as Arthur Joseph Christie III, of Pine Bush, died on Thursday, April 14, after his motorcycle collided with an SUV in the town of Crawford.

The crash took place when Christie, age 34, was heading north on Drexel Drive while riding a 2004 Suzuki and for an unknown reason crossed the double-yellow line and hit a 2004 Honda CRV driven by 25-year-old Morgan McManus of Wallkill, police said.

Christie died from his injuries at the scene. 

Known by his friends and family as "A.J.," he graduated from Pine Bush High School in 2005, and worked at the Staples Distribution Center, in Montgomery, his obituary said

He loved hiking and climbing at Bear Cliff and was a self-taught musician who played multiple instruments, including drums, bass, acoustic, keyboard, piano, banjo, and harmonica, the obituary said.

Christie also wrote and sang many of his own songs. 

"A.J. was confident, inspiring, and passionate in everything he did," his obituary said.

He is survived by his mother, Lora Lynn McCord, his father, Arthur Joseph Christie Jr., and his wife Renee, his sister and best friend, Stephanie A. (Eddie) Garcia, sisters Mia, Alanna, and Samantha, and his brother, Spencer. 

A.j. is also survived by his girlfriend, Cheyenne Bills (aka Beeb), and her son, Kaius, his godfather/uncle, Daniel R. McCord (Deb), and his grandmother, Nancy Jean Christie, many aunts, uncles, cousins, and a countless number of friends. 

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 20, from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. at the William M. Gagan Funeral Home Inc. 1525 Burlingham Road in Pine Bush.

Funeral services will be offered at 8 p.m. at the funeral home. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pine Bush Fire Department, PO Box 1, Pine Bush, NY 12566, and The Pine Bush Volunteer Ambulance Corp. PO Box 407, Pine Bush, NY 12566. 

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