Christyna Elizabeth Jensen

Christyna Elizabeth Jensen, 89, passed away on March 24, 2023. Christyna was born May 3, 1933 in Loma Linda California to Frank Christian Jensen and Kathryn Eugenia Payne. Christyna grew up in Boulder City, Nevada during the building of Hoover Dam where her father ran the First Aid Office. During her childhood, she became a professional child performer in Las Vegas on stage and radio. This began her lifelong career as a professional dancer and teacher.

Christyna was a graduate of Chattanooga High School in 1950 and at, age seventeen went to New York City to study ballet at Carnegie Hall. Later Christyna returned to Chattanooga and earned her Bachelor's Degree Magna Cum Laude in Psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. While in college, she worked for many years as a staff writer on the local paper "The Art of Living". Writing on the paper lead her to continue her studies as next, she earned her Master's Degree in Story Telling at East Tennessee State University.

During Christyna's entire adult life, she taught ballet and all types of dances at her own studio. She later taught and performed with the Dance Theater Workshop and the Little Theater. She also was part of the staff for the Scottish American Ballet with Alexander Bennett, formerly of the Royal Ballet Touring Company. Christyna performed later in life for many years in the Nutcracker at the Tivoli Theater, in many different roles, but was best known for the role of Mother Ginger.

Christyna, was also known as Mother Sunshine for her stories as a professional storyteller. She was a part of many storytelling conventions, but her favorite was always telling stories to children in the Chattanooga area. As part of her storytelling, Christyna gathered many family stories and tales and wrote a collection of stories called, "Granny Mac's Patch". She also completed a book for children based on old Norse tales of Denmark called "Skat and the Princess Brat".

Christyna was strong in her faith and a member of St Alban's Episcopal Church, Hixson, Tennessee. Services will be announced and held at a later date at St. Alban's and interment in St. Alban's Memorial Garden.

Survivors include her daughters Margaret Benton Dunstan (Richard) and their son Michael Loomis of Jupiter, Florida, and Kathrine Benton Almlie (Eric), Lakesite, Tennessee, and her son, William Stanley Benton St. Elmo Tennessee, his children Brittany Benton Clark (Scottie), Jarrod Benton and two great grandchildren LeeLand Clark and MaeLee June Clark.

Our family is grateful to the entire staff and nurses at Regency House in Hixson Tennessee and Hearth Hospice for the love and care they gave to our Mother.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations, to St Alban's Episcopal Church. www.saintalbanschatt.com

Please share your memories of Christyna with the family at www.chattanoogaeastbrainerd.com

Arrangements are by the East Brainerd Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 8214 E. Brainerd Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37421.