Bernhardt "Ben" F. Christiansen, 1891 - 1981

CHRISTIANSEN, PRIEN, CLAUSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 3/1/2023 at 15:09:06

Mapleton Press
30 April 1981

Bernhardt "Ben" F. Christiansen, 89, of Mapleton, died Thursday, April 23, 1981 in a Mapleton nursing home of a long illness.

Services were at 10:00 a.m. Monday in St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Mapleton. The Rev. Philip Ritter officiated. Burial was in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Soldier Township under the direction of the Walter-Funeral Home.

Mr. Christiansen was born September 1,1891, to Anton and Wilhelmina (Prien) Christiansen in Crawford County near Charter Oak. As a young boy, he moved with his parents to Gregory, South Dakota, where they lived for a short time.

He moved back to Crawford County where he lived until his marriage to Eleonore Clausen on January 20, 1913, in Soldier Township. After their marriage, they farmed in the Charter Oak and Mapleton communities, retiring in 1945 and moving to the town of Mapleton. Mrs. Christiansen died November 8, 1972.

He was a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church and served on its building committee, was a trustee and served on the Lutheran Layman's League.

He was a past school director of Rush Creek District country school and a past member of the Farmers Union. He had worked for several years for Monona County, operating a road maintainer.

He was preceded in death by his wife, one son, one sister, his parents, 2 daughters, 3 grandchildren and five brothers.

Survivors include two sons, Robert of Mapleton and Elmer of Colorado Springs, Colorado; two daughters, Mrs. Louis (Mahela) Meyer of Smithland and Mrs. Lawrence (Marie) Goech of Mapleton; one brother, Henry of Denison; one sister, Mrs. Lena Meyer of Wall Lake; 17 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were Bruce Christiansen, Wayne Gosch, Robert Banks, Mark Christiansen, Donald Cassen and Clark Smith.