Christensen, Orvie Emmet (1922 - 2021)

CHRISTENSEN, HANSEN, WEDDUM, MADSEN, JOHNSON, FLETCHER, REDMAN, HANSENA, HEWETT, DARNELL, BENSON, HULL

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 12/1/2021 at 17:08:22

Name of deceased: Orvie Emmet Christensen

Aged: 99 yrs, 10 mo, 8 days

Residence: Hansen House Assisted Living, Harlan, Shelby County, IA

Born: Jan. 4, 1922; rural Clay Township, Shelby County, IA

Died: Nov. 12, 2021; Hansen House Assisted Living; Harlan, Shelby County, IA

Funeral services: Monday, Nov. 15, 2021; Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Jacksonville, IA; burial was in the Jacksonville Cemetery, Jacksonville, IA

Survived by: Wife of 75 years, Margaret of Harlan, IA; children, Kathlyn Janelle (spouse, Timothy) Hansen of Clarinda, IA, Marilyn Mardelle Weddum of Atlantic, IA, Evelyn Jean Madsen of Grimes, IA, Orvie Lee “Toby” of Kimballton, IA, Mark Eugene (spouse, Cindi) of Polk City, IA, and Thomas Kevin of Kimballton, IA; sister, Mary Johnson of Council Bluffs, IA; grandchildren, Kristin Weddum, Todd (spouse, Shelli) Weddum, Bradley (spouse, Jenny) Madsen, Amanda (spouse, Justin) Fletcher, Luke (spouse, Heather) Hansen, Zach Redman, and Nikolas Christensen; 10 great-grandchildren;1 great-great-grandchild; nieces; nephews; other family members and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Nels Ejnar and Martha Hansena (nee Hansen) Christensen; parents-in-law, George and Hester (nee Hewett) Darnell; son, Michael Jon (1958-1977); brothers, Dale and Cliford; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Benson and Mildred Hull; brothers-in-law, Donald, Delbert, and Darrell Darnell

Education: Began school at Polk #7 in Shelby County, IA, before his family moved to Guthrie County, IA, where he continued school.

Religious affiliation: Baptized in the Poplar Danish Church, Poplar, Shelby County, IA; was a long-time devout member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Harlan, IA and served on the church council

Military service: Enlisted in the U. S. Army in January 1943 and served with the Signal Corps as a member of the 9th Air Force Service Company, which provided communications to General Patton’s troops in the drive across France. He landed on Omaha Beach shortly after D-Day in 1944 and was in Germany on VE Day in 1945. As a result of his service, he received the Meritorious Unit Citation, a Presidential Citation and 4 battle stars. He was discharged in September 1945.

Marriage: Margaret Rose Darnell; Dec. 13, 1945; Atlantic, Cass County, IA

Employment: While still attending school, he worked on various farms in the area as a hired hand. After his marriage, he was a livestock farmer and at various times raised sheep, hogs, dairy cows and had cow/calf herds

Hobbies/Interests: Served as a director of Jackson #1 school in Shelby County and was also a board member of Elk-Horn Kimballton School; enjoyed gardening and caring for the lawn, restoring old tractors and machines and reading

Sources: harlanonline.com; kjan.com; pauleyjones.com