Lois Jean Christensen

Lois Christensen began life on September 22, 1923 on a wheat farm in Deuel County, Nebraska, the third of five children born to Charles and Edna Elizabeth (Melton) Munson. Lois Jean, as she was known to her family, attended rural schools and helped on the farm, feeding chickens and hauling buckets of water for cooking and cleaning. She graduated from high school in 1940 at the age of 16 and boarded in the nearby town of Chappell where she worked for a time in the AAA office. Meanwhile, a young man, Roland Christensen had finished high school and with his brother, Darwin bought and operated a local grocery store in the ‘bustling’ town of Chappell. Roland later related; “One day during this post school era, I was standing in front of Anderson’s ice cream store on First Street with Fred Bob Sudman and this little dark-haired beauty dressed in black, wearing high black boots (looked like riding boots to me) gracefully moved along the other side of the street.” I asked, “Who is that?” and Fred Bob said, “That’s Lois Munson, she lives in the country.” Roland remembered thinking “Farewell to Betty Ann, Donna, Burdette, Jeannie and Margie. I have found the girl I want to marry.”

Lois attended Kearney State Teacher’s College and Roland worked in his store. But the world was about to change. On 7 Dec 1941 as Roland and his brother were approaching the Munson farm in their 1940 Chevy, word came over the radio, “Pearl Harbor has been attacked; we are at war!” By 1942 things had become very active on the war front and the boys made plans to sell the store and join the Navy. Roland enlisted in the Navy Cadet Program on 12 Dec 1942 and was commissioned 13 Dec 1944. He hurried back to Chappell where he and Lois were married 20 Dec 1944 and she became a Navy wife. Together they built a wonderful life, raised three children, Nancy, Charles, and Jane, moving over 30 times before eventually settling in San Antonio, Texas. Lois became an expert at making any house a home, sewed curtains and clothes, painted walls, baked cookies, read stories, and started again 30+ times, always with a beautiful smile and so much poise and style.

As a Navy officer’s wife, she participated in causes and activities to assist military families, often while spouses were away at war. She was a Girl Scout Leader, a Sunday School Teacher, and shuttle driver to dance lessons, baseball, and kid’s activities. She loved to play card games and was an avid bowler, on a league into her late 80’s. Lois was an eternal optimist and found the good in everything and everyone. If one of the kids complained about a schoolmate or a childhood injustice Lois would remind them that you may not like what a person says or does, but they are still a person worthy of love; we are all made the same. She was very forgiving. When their oldest grandson, William came to live with his grandparents during his formative years, she embraced the opportunity and became engaged again in children’s activities. She cared deeply for others.

Roland and Lois lived in Germany in the 1970’s and Lois had a chance to visit her father’s birthplace in Sweden and view old family records in the small church there. She wrote that the experience of seeing her dad’s birth recorded on the church log brought tears to her eyes. She had a great interest in the family’s history which has been documented by her sister, daughter, and others. Many of Roland and Lois’s road trips were to visit family or research family history. They loved to get in the car and drive leisurely across the country often stopping in time-share condos along the way to research in courthouses and libraries or so Roland could drop a fishing line. Sometimes just the two of them, sometimes with family or with friends, Lois and Roland took several cruises visiting Alaska, Mexico, the Atlantic northeast, and the Caribbean. They travelled abroad returning to Germany and visited the Scandinavian countries of their heritage. In San Antonio, Lois worked as a market researcher and loved interviewing consumers and gathering statistical data. She truly enjoyed interacting with people. She liked numbers, was logical, organized and very meticulous with attention to detail, a perfectionist. In her personal life these traits were obvious – always well-dressed, hair done, make-up and jewelry in place.

For the past sixteen months Lois has resided at the Forum at Lincoln Heights and the Forum truly became her home. She participated in all the activities and rarely missed a round of Bingo. Her caregivers came to be like family to her and she was very content. She and Roland were members of St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church for 37 years.

She sorely missed Roland who preceded her in death in 2014. Joy came from the love of her family whom she leaves behind; a sister Betty Lee Christensen (Darwin); a brother Charles Lanny Munson; three children: Nancy Lee King, Charles Craig Christensen (LeAnne), Jane Diane Miller; seven grandchildren: William King (Jennifer), Kathryn Williston (Greg); Anna Bollinger (Brian); Benjamin Miller (Patty), Andrew, Zachary and Hayley Miller; and nine great-grandchildren, Katherine and Will King; Cash and Lydia Williston; Simon and Samuel Bollinger; and Andy, Aaron, and Benjamin ‘Beanie’ Miller.

She will be dearly missed as she ends this journey of life, “gracefully moving along the other side of the street.” Lois Jean (Munson) Christensen 22 Sep-1923 – 27 July 2016.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to:

St. Matthews UMC

2738 MacArthur View

San Antonio, TX 78217-4503

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