The Funeral Service for Earl Joseph Christensen will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at the
First
Lutheran
Church
in
Albert Lea
with Pastor Dan Baker officiating.
Following cremation, interment with military honors will be held at a later date at
Lakewood
Cemetery
.
Visitation will be on Friday, June 5, 2009 from 5 to 8 pm at Bonnerup Funeral Service, 2210
East Main
, Albert Lea. Additional visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral service on Saturday. Earl, age 87, died with family at his side on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at the
Albert Lea
,
Medical
Center
.
Earl, son of Jens and Emma (Johnson) Christensen was born on February 9, 1922, in Albert Lea. He attended
Central
Grade School
and graduated from
Albert Lea
High School
. He graduated from
Albert Lea
Junior College
and the
University
of
Minnesota
with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
He was inducted into the US Army in August of 1944.
He served in the Army Air Corps, including
Iwo Jima
, until his honorable discharge in August of 1946.
He was united in marriage to Irene Elizabeth Haugen on April 19, 1947 in
Wyndemere
,
North Dakota
.
Following their marriage, Earl worked at a steel plant in
Baltimore
,
Maryland
for a year.
It was here that daughter Patricia was born. Earl and Irene returned to
Albert Lea
where they made their home on
Grace Street
for more than 25 years.
Earl worked at Queen’s and later at Streaters.
He was a member of the World Brotherhood of Engineers. Earl and Irene were gracious volunteers for many years, making seven trips abroad as missionaries. They designed and constructed the necessary infrastructure and irrigation systems to support the schools, houses, and churches that they built.
Some areas they traveled to included
New Guinea
, the Cameroons, Africa,
Sudan
, and
Central Africa
.
After his retirement he continued his steelwork and woodworking.
He designed and built bicycles, tricycles, and boats, along with many other creative feats. One of his recent projects included constructing a grandfather clock for each grandchild.
Earl had many interests and hobbies including building model airplanes, photography, down hill and cross country skiing, square dancing and sail boating.
Earl was a member of the
First
Lutheran
Church
and was very active at the Albert Lea YMCA. Earl is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Irene; two sons: Alan Christensen and his wife Ann of Albert Lea, Jerry Christensen and his wife Marcie of Kansas City, Missouri; grandchildren: Jay Christensen and his wife Nicole and expected baby of Kansas City, Missouri, Mandy Chirpich and her husband Mike and their children Summer and Chase of Kansas City, Missouri, Sally and her husband Dave Olson and expected baby of Winona, MN, and Rachel Christensen of Albert Lea, brother Elmer Christensen of California, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Sigrid Peterson of Bayport, MN and Louise Varnes and her husband Dewayne of Ridgland, WI, Milton Haugen and his wife Inez of California, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Evelyn in 1928, later by his parents, and by his daughter Patricia, in 1997. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to
First
Lutheran
Church
, The ElderUniversity or the Albert Lea YMCA.
Earl will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered.
“Think Snow!”
