Chris Mahon, a longtime body technician at CARSTAR Newmarket remembered by colleagues for his technical expertise, dedication to safe repairs and commitment to his community, has died. He was 36.
He is survived by his eight-year-old daughter, Lily, and his father.
Mahon joined CARSTAR Newmarket when its current ownership took over in 2016 and quickly became a cornerstone of the business. Over nearly a decade, coworkers said his commitment to quality repairs, continuous learning and customer safety helped shape the shop's reputation while his quiet, dependable presence made him part of the family.
"Chris was a really talented individual who really dedicated himself to his craft and this industry," said Ashley Deokinandan, operations manager at CARSTAR Newmarket. "He was very committed to learning and growing within the auto industry."
Deokinandan said Mahon was instrumental to the shop's success, describing him as its highest-producing technician and crediting him with helping carry the business through the COVID-19 pandemic while working as its sole body technician.
"He wasn't a corner cutter," she said. "He was incredibly mindful of the people that drove the vehicle, not just how fixing the vehicle could benefit himself. There was a greater purpose behind everything that he did."
Peter Barilla, who worked beside Mahon for more than a decade, said his colleague's work ethic was matched by his generosity.
"For 10 or 11 years we've been working side by side," Barilla said. "We worked well together. We always helped each other out. He was very team oriented."
"He was always willing to go above and beyond," Barilla added. "Any time they needed something from him or we needed something from him, he would always try to accommodate."
Deokinandan said Mahon's impact reached well beyond the shop floor.
"He was a large participant" in CARSTAR Newmarket's fundraising efforts for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, she said. "Always supporting behind the scenes, which is really valiant and special. That's the kind of character you really look for in a person."
Asked what she hopes the collision repair industry remembers about Mahon, Ashley pointed to both his craftsmanship and his character.
"I think it's important for everybody to remember that Chris was really a driving factor in the Newmarket community, really pushing to break barriers in the industry, doing everything that he could to improve his skill, doing everything he could to improve his quality," she said.
"We always want to remember him for his soft-spoken but really impactful way of interacting with people -- vendors, staff, family, friends and the community alike."
Outside the shop, Mahon's greatest pride was his daughter, Lily.
"Chris loved his daughter, he spent every spare second with her that he could," Ashley said.
She recalled Mahon's love of the outdoors, saying he built a rooftop tent for his truck so he and Lily could camp together while exploring nature.
"He loved doing things like that and he was always doing it to share memories with his daughter," she said.
Barilla said Mahon brought the same enthusiasm to his friendships as he did to his work. The two bonded over punk music, concerts and skateboarding during the more than 10 years they spent working together.
He said those moments, both inside and outside the shop, are what he'll remember most.
"All in all, my experience with Chris has been a great one," Barilla said. "There's not a lot of people that I could say they've worked side by side with somebody for that long and didn’t argue once."
CARSTAR Newmarket has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support Mahon's daughter, Lily. The shop said it will continue to honour the legacy of the technician colleagues remember as an exceptional craftsman, devoted father and valued friend.
"We'll never be the same without him," Ashley said.
