Hans Magnus CHRISTENSEN

CHRISTENSEN, RASMUSSEN, HAUGEN, KILDAL, NELSON, OLSEN, LINGE, BATCHELDER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/13/2008 at 16:02:15

Hans Magnus Christensen, 88, of Pine City, Minnesota died on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002 at Fairview Hospital in Wyoming, MN.

He was born on Dec. 6, 1913 in Kanawha, Iowa, the son of Soren and Jensine (Rasmussen) Christensen. He was baptized on May 31, 1914 at the Lutheran Church in Kanawha. When Hans was nine, he moved with his parents and siblings to a farm near Pequot Lakes, MN. He was confirmed at the Norweigian Lutheran Church in Pequot Lakes on Sept. 16, 1928. When he was about 19 years old he moved again with his family to Askov. He helped on the family farm, cut wood in the winter and worked at the Askov Nursery. In 1938, he left Askov for a job as a maintenance and groundkeeping person for the sanatorium on Pokegama Lake near Pine City. He met Virginia M. Haugen while working there, and they were married on Nov. 9, 1940. They moved to the Elk River area for a short time before returning to Pine City, where they have lived for the past 56 years. Over the years, Hans worked as a plumber, sheet metal worker, electrician, carpenter and drove a truck route to International Falls. In his retirement years, Hans enjoyed spending time in his woodshop, making many log cabin houses, barns, bird feeders and birdhouses that he sold at local craft fairs and gave to his family. He enjoyed backpacking trips to Isle Royale, fishing in Canada, hiking, picnics, visiting with his family and friends, agate hunting, reading, feeding birds and squirrels and spending time with his beloved pets. Family was important to Hans. He was a kind and loving husband. father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend. He loved to have his family and friends around him. He taught, not through words, but by example. He will be remembered by those who knew and loved him as a kind and gentle man.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Jens, Chris, Knud, Folmer and Svend. Hans is survived by his wife, Virginia, daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Maurice Kildal, of Webster, NY; son and daughter-in-law, David and Jeanne Christensen, Maple Grove; daughter, Barbara, Northfield; son, Michael, of Hugo, and daughter, Bette, of Pine City; 13 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, his sisters, Marie Nelson of Alexandria; Anna Olsen, Youngtown, AZ; Olga Linge, Askov; and Ellen Batchelder, Minneapoilis.

A service of memory and hope was held at 1 p.m. on Saturday Dec. 7 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Pine City. Pastor Vicki VanderVegt officiated. Musical selections, "Precious Lord" and "Abide in Me." were provided by grandson Luther Christensen of Duluth. Memories of Hans' life, written by his daughter, Bette, were read by his grandson, Luther, and another written by his granddaughter, Amy Kildal, of Brooklyn Park, was read by his granddaughter, Sara Christensen of Minneapolis. A celebration of his life followed in the fellowship hall. A private graveside service will be held at the Henriette Cemetery, Henriette.

Pine City Pioneer, MN
December 12, 2002