LeRoy E. CHRISTIE

CHRISTIE, SUNTKEN, GODIN, ARCH, KOOSMAN, EVENSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/8/2016 at 14:24:31

April 6, 1920 --- August 24, 2007

WILLMAR, MN -- LeRoy E. Christie, 87, of Willmar died Friday at Bethesda Pleasantview Nursing Home in Willmar. The service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at First Reformed Church in Willmar. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the service Monday at the church.

He was born April 6, 1920, in Belmond, Iowa, to Ira and Emma (Arch) Christie. He grew up in the Belmond area and graduated from Belmond High School. He played in the Tommy Dorsey Band in Iowa. He enlisted in the United States Navy and had naval training school at Iowa State College in Ames Iowa and also in New Jersey and Illinois. In 1941, he attended a one-year electronics course in Wis. In 1942, he served on the USS Memphis light cruiser ship; where he went to South America and Pearl Harbor. He served as a fireman and also operated an Ac-Ac gun in action during World War II, to protect Pearl Harbor. He returned to Belmond and helped on the family farm.

He married Viola Suntken April 7, 1947, in Belmond. They farmed and he also did tiling in the area. They moved to Danvers in 1968. He worked at the Northside Elementary School in Benson and later Fingerhut. In 1971, they moved to Willmar; where he worked as the maintenance manager at the Lakeview Apartments for 10 years. Then he operated a lawn mowing service from 1982 to 1987.

He is survived by his wife; children: Vivian (and Dan) Godin of Hawaii, Vernon (and Bernice) Christie of Hancock, Jeanne (and Dan) Koosman of Spicer, Lois Evenson of Albertville, Art (and Leah) Christie of Tulsa, Okla.; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister.