Obituary: Christian Lubenga, 25, of New Haven

NEW HAVEN, CT - (From Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home) With deep sadness, family, friends, and colleagues mourn the sudden passing of Christian Lubenga, 25, current resident of New Haven, CT.

Christian was a student at the University of Bridgeport, just a few months from completing his dissertation and earning his Master’s in Business Analytics.

Born on March 16, 1996 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where most of his immediate family still resides, Christian was fluent in Swahili, French, English, Lingala, and Kinyarwanda. His son, Gabriel “Gabby” Desmond Anderson-Lubenga, carries not only his father’s name but his father’s face, his broad smile, and his spirited way with the world.

He is survived by his loving wife, Margaret Anderson, and his mother, Angelique Mwavita Nzibo. He also leaves behind his sisters, Muriel Warsing Nzibu and Wendy Lenoir, his brother Malik Lubenga, and countless well-loved aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Christian and his wife, Margaret, married in San Francisco in 2019, after traveling the world together. He was as selfless as he was compassionate, lived in the service of others, but above all, he lived to provide for his family, with his love for them reflected in all that he did.

Christian was an exemplary father, a loving husband, and a lifelong athlete. Pursuing all he did in his life with great energy and passion, he brought kindness, generosity, and compassion to this world as well as an unwavering dedication to building a better life for his family.

He loved his son deeply and generously, never hesitating to sacrifice his needs to place Gabby before any and all. Of his many accomplishments, he was proudest of being Gabby’s father.

Possessing the unique ability to connect with anyone he encountered, he immediately generated connections across culture, language and geography. Brilliant, talented, diverse in his interests, and emotionally expressive, his voice, charm and smile will be greatly missed by those he touched around the world.

Christian’s family members will carry his protective presence, infectious smile and infinitely loving heart. To be with him was to feel safe and to know his love was to feel at home. We will carry the memory of Christian’s beautiful soul in our hearts forever.

Friends are invited to visit with Christian’s family on Tuesday evening, March 22nd, from 5-7 p.m. in Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, 2300 Whitney Avenue, Hamden.