Wendell Milton Christiansen (1918-1941)

CHRISTIANSEN, BOLLER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/26/2013 at 23:16:57

From Nevada Evening Journal October 6, 1941

Funeral Services Sunday Afternoon for W. Christiansen

The capacity of Memorial Lutheran church was inadequate to handle the large number of people who gathered for the funeral of the late Wendell Christiansen Sunday afternoon.

Not only was the body of the church filled to standing room, but the basement room was filled and scores stood on the outside unable to gain entrance even into the foyer.

The choir loft of the church in which Wendell had been a familiar figure for several years, was unoccupied and the choir which had been his place, was designated by a spray of flowers and his robe draped over the back of the chair. This was also true during the morning service.

Mrs. Garnet Hathaway was at the organ and at the close of the prelude, played "One Sweetly Solemn Thought," after which Rev. Jos. M. Kennedy, assisting Dr. Simon in the service, read the words of the hymn, previous to the reading of the scriptures and his prayer.

Following the reading the life sketch of the deceased the sermon was preached by Dr. J. O. Simon, his pastor, closing with a brief prayer.

The floral offerings were most beautiful and fitting reminder of the very high esteem in which the young man and his bride of a year were held in the community.

The members of the church choir, robed, were seated in a body at the church.

At the close of the service over half an hour was spent by the people in passing and viewing the body as it reposed in the bier which had been placed in the foyer of the church.

The following obituary of the young man was read by the minister at the service.

Wendell Milton Christiansen, the youngest of four sons of Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Christiansen, was born at Garden City, Iowa, December 10, 1918, and departed at nine o'clock last Thursday evening, October 2, 1941, having attained the age of 22 years, nine months and 22 days. Death was due to a collapse of the heart, aggravated by a severe cold.

During early childhood and youth he had suffered from complications of the heart and rheumatism, although as he grew to manhood the result of these earlier attacks, for a time, did not seem to outwardly show any serious consequence.

Wendell was graduated from the McCallsburg high school with the class of 1936. During his high school years he was very active in athletic events, particularly basketball. He also showed a keen interest in music, both vocal and instrumental, and devoted part of his time to study of the violin.

During the early part of 1937, he came to Nevada secured employment at the Donnelley corporation, where he worked until September of that year at which time he went to California. He remained there for several months, returning to Nevada in the early part of January, 1938, when he resumed his employment at Donnelleys and continued there until the re-occurance of his illness last December.

On Sunday, March 3, 1940, Wendell Christiansen was united in marriage to Betty Boller at the Lutheran parsonage in Nevada.

It was early last winter when the condition of the young man again became alarming, and he was taken to the Des Moines general hospital for observation and to convalesce. After dismissal from the hospital, he spent three weeks at the home of his parents in McCallsburg. In the first part of February, he again returned to Nevada when he and Mrs. Christiansen took an apartment, and encouraged by this, the young man had soon hoped to return to work. However, developing a cold about a week ago, his ailment was again aggravated which ended with his sudden and untimely death last Thursday.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Christiansen were members of Memorial Lutheran church and also loyal and devoted members of the choir he being the president of the organization. In the past several months, Mr. Christiansen had not taken an active part int he choir program, refraining from any physical strain which might prevent or prolong recovery of his health. During these many past months his spirit was high and he constantly looked forward with eager anticipation and determination to the day when he could again physically live a normal life. He was held in high esteem by his many friends and his family. He was a true and devoted husband.

He leaves to mourn his death, his wife, Betty Boller-Christiansen, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Christiansen of McCallsburg, and three brothers, Theodore of Mingo, and Harry and Willard of Nevada, and a wide circle of relatives and friends.

Besides these of the immediate family, his untimely death is also mourned by a wide circle of relatives and friends.

Burial was in the Nevada Cemetery.