Virgean Helen Christenson

Virgean "Jean" Christenson of Pine City passed away Saturday, December 12, 2015 at Ecumen of North Branch at the age of 89. She was preceded in death by her husband Arnold Christenson who died September 26 of the same year. Virgean Helen Johnson was born to Mary (Schneider) and Frank Johnson on March 15, 1926 near West Rock Creek, Minnesota. She spent her earliest years on the family farm where she was born until her father sold it and moved to Pine City. She graduated from Pine City High School in 1944. She worked as a telephone operator out of high school. Jean married Arnold Christenson in 1946. She moved with her husband to Rush City, MN, Marshfield, WI, Whitehall, WI, Milaca, MN and finally back to where she started in Pine City. During their life together, they had four children, Robert, Ronald, Carol and Randall. She enjoyed baking (especially during Christmas), coffee parties, card clubs (with her lady friends), golfing and dancing. She loved her family and especially enjoyed the years when her kids were young. You never, ever went away from grandmas house hungry! She was a stay at home mom until 1967 when she worked in the cafeteria at the Pine City schools until she retired in 1981. She has 10 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren. They all loved spending time with their grandma and have many endearing stories. Jean was baptized, made her first communion, was confirmed, married and laid to rest at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Virgean is survived by her children: Robert (Virginia) Christenson of Harris, Ronald (Janet) Christenson of Waconia, Carol Christenson (Mark) Murray of Forest Lake, and Randall (Teresa) Christenson of Apple Valley, 10 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her mother Mary (Schneider) Johnson, father Frank Johnson and siblings Elizabeth Saunders, Clarence Johnson, Marie Stoffel, Frances Pabuda, Isabel Kryzer, Leo Johnson and Helen Johnson. Monsignor Aleksander Suchan will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial for Virgean Christenson, 10:30 a.m., Thursday, December 17th at the Immaculate Conception Church in Pine City. A time of visitation and reviewal is planned for Wednesday, December 16th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Swanson Chapel in Pine City and one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pine City. Memorials preferred to: Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601 Funeral arrangements for Virgean Christenson are entrusted to the Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City ~ Swanson Chapel. www.funeralandcremationservice.com