Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameRussell Lamar Christensen 
Birth14 Oct 1916, Chesterfield, Caribou Co, ID
Death23 Mar 2003, Mesa, Maricopa Co, AZ
Misc. Notes
Son of Harris Christensen and Robenia Vida Bodily
[Obituary] Observer News, La Grande OR - 24 Mar 2003
Mr. Christensen was born Oct. 14, 1916, to Harris and Robenia Bodily Christensen in Chesterfield, Idaho. He served as a captain in the Army during World War II, and received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart following his tour of duty in the Pacific. He married Betty Jane Grice on Feb. 1, 1947, in La Grande. He worked as a meat cutter at Chris' Foods in La Grande, a store that later became Hub City Foods. He became a co-owner of the store until his retirement. He was a member of the LDS Church, where he was dance director of the Mutual, president of the elders' quorum, high priest group leader, a member of the bishopric, and high councilman in the La Grande Stake. He also worked with his wife at the genealogical library for several years.
Survivors include his wife of Mesa; children, Stephen Christensen of Gresham, Russell Christensen of Salem and Rebecca Cass of Mesa; seven grandchildren; four brothers, Adrian of Salt Lake City, Odell and Clyde, both of Orem, Utah, and Max of Soda Springs, Idaho; a sister, Gayle Gardner of Orem and other relatives.
[Obituary] Observer News, La Grande OR - 24 Mar 2003
Mr. Christensen was born Oct. 14, 1916, to Harris and Robenia Bodily Christensen in Chesterfield, Idaho. He served as a captain in the Army during World War II, and received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart following his tour of duty in the Pacific. He married Betty Jane Grice on Feb. 1, 1947, in La Grande. He worked as a meat cutter at Chris' Foods in La Grande, a store that later became Hub City Foods. He became a co-owner of the store until his retirement. He was a member of the LDS Church, where he was dance director of the Mutual, president of the elders' quorum, high priest group leader, a member of the bishopric, and high councilman in the La Grande Stake. He also worked with his wife at the genealogical library for several years.
Survivors include his wife of Mesa; children, Stephen Christensen of Gresham, Russell Christensen of Salem and Rebecca Cass of Mesa; seven grandchildren; four brothers, Adrian of Salt Lake City, Odell and Clyde, both of Orem, Utah, and Max of Soda Springs, Idaho; a sister, Gayle Gardner of Orem and other relatives.
Spouses
Birth16 Mar 1919, Hutchinson, Reno Co, KS
Death17 Mar 2007, Gilbert, Maricopa Co, AZ
BurialGrandview Cem, La Grande, Union Co, OR
FatherRoy Delbert Grice (1890-1952)
MotherBlanche Kessler (1896-1973)
Misc. Notes
She was listed with her family in Kansas in 1925, and then in Oregon by 1930.
[Obituary] Observer News, La Grande OR - 23 Mar 2007
Betty Jane Christensen, 88, formerly of La Grande, died March 17 in Gilbert, Ariz. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande, and 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center, 1802 Gekeler. A funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the LDS Stake Center, followed by dedication of the grave at Grandview Cemetery.
Mrs. Christensen was born March 16, 1919, to Roy and Blanche (Kessler) Grice in Hutchinson, Kan. Her family moved to Oregon when she was a child, first to Pendleton and a short time later to La Grande. She spent more than 70 years in the Grande Ronde Valley.
A 1937 graduate of La Grande High School, she was involved in many high school activities, including her role as Little Eva in the play "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in which she was hoisted to heaven on a rope. After high school, trained and graduated as a registered nurse from the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. Mrs. Christensen returned to La Grande in 1941, where she worked at St. Joseph's Hospital. She later joined the Army Nurses Corp and spent most of her time on the maternity ward in Oakland, Calif.
She met Russell "Lamar" Christensen upon her return to La Grande. They were married Feb. 1, 1947. Lamar preceded her in death in 2003. She worked as a nurse in various capacities for 34 years, including St. Joseph's Hospital, Eastern Oregon University Health Center, Union County Health Department and Home Health.
Mrs. Christensen's central focus was her family. She was a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1958 and served in many positions in the church.
In their later years, the Christensens moved to Kent, Wash., with their daughter and son-in-law and later accompanied them to Gilbert, Ariz., where Mrs. Christensen continued to live until her death.
Survivors include her children and their spouses, Steve and Melody Christensen of Portland, Rebecca and Dennis Cass of Gilbert, Ariz., and Russell and Molly Christensen of Salem; brother and sister-in-law, Roy "Bud" and Maggie Grice of Boise; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and a niece and a nephew.
[Obituary] Observer News, La Grande OR - 23 Mar 2007
Betty Jane Christensen, 88, formerly of La Grande, died March 17 in Gilbert, Ariz. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., La Grande, and 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center, 1802 Gekeler. A funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the LDS Stake Center, followed by dedication of the grave at Grandview Cemetery.
Mrs. Christensen was born March 16, 1919, to Roy and Blanche (Kessler) Grice in Hutchinson, Kan. Her family moved to Oregon when she was a child, first to Pendleton and a short time later to La Grande. She spent more than 70 years in the Grande Ronde Valley.
A 1937 graduate of La Grande High School, she was involved in many high school activities, including her role as Little Eva in the play "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in which she was hoisted to heaven on a rope. After high school, trained and graduated as a registered nurse from the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. Mrs. Christensen returned to La Grande in 1941, where she worked at St. Joseph's Hospital. She later joined the Army Nurses Corp and spent most of her time on the maternity ward in Oakland, Calif.
She met Russell "Lamar" Christensen upon her return to La Grande. They were married Feb. 1, 1947. Lamar preceded her in death in 2003. She worked as a nurse in various capacities for 34 years, including St. Joseph's Hospital, Eastern Oregon University Health Center, Union County Health Department and Home Health.
Mrs. Christensen's central focus was her family. She was a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1958 and served in many positions in the church.
In their later years, the Christensens moved to Kent, Wash., with their daughter and son-in-law and later accompanied them to Gilbert, Ariz., where Mrs. Christensen continued to live until her death.
Survivors include her children and their spouses, Steve and Melody Christensen of Portland, Rebecca and Dennis Cass of Gilbert, Ariz., and Russell and Molly Christensen of Salem; brother and sister-in-law, Roy "Bud" and Maggie Grice of Boise; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and a niece and a nephew.
Marriage1 Feb 1947, La Grande, Union Co, OR