Katherine Christenson

Katherine Kay Christenson, 98, passed away peacefully on January 16, 2015 at Annandale Care Center.

Katherine was born October 14, 1916, in Garden City, Iowa, the daughter of Alfred and Maggie Christopherson, the fourth of seven children. Two sisters died in childhood. Katherine and her four brothers grew up in Story City, Iowa, where she met Irvin Christenson; they were united in marriage at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa on August 10, 1937. Kay and Irv lived in Tipton, Iowa, and briefly in Burkburnett, Texas, at the beginning of World War II, before making Minnesota their home. Teaching positions in Park Rapids and Fergus Falls preceded the move to Concordia College in Moorhead in 1946. Irv taught in the Physical Education and Athletic department, managed regional high school basketball tournaments, coached track and served as athletic director there. Kay also worked outside the home, notably as office manager for the Moorhead Chamber of Commerce and in the office of the district president of the Lutheran Church.

Kay enjoyed many hobbies: Hardanger embroidery, rosemaling, quilting, gardening, taking occasional courses at Concordia, biking with Irv, and spending time at their cabin at Lake Kabekona in northern Minnesota, often joined by their children and grandchildren. Memories of these times at Kabekona with her grandchildren continued to bring her joy during her later years. She also enjoyed traveling. Her two trips to Norway and meeting family there were highlights for her. She enjoyed sharing her love of her Norwegian heritage with her family.

Kay moved to Brooklyn Center, MN in 2008 to be closer to family; in 2010 she moved to Centennial Villa and later to Pleasant Cottage in Annandale, where she continued to enjoy her flower garden.

Katherine was preceded in death by her husband Irvin, her son Irvin Jr. of Albuquerque, New Mexico, her parents, her sisters Mina and Irene, brothers Milo, John, Lee and Lyle Christopherson, sisters-in-law Dottie and Pauline.

She is survived by her two daughters and their husbands, Gerry Paul Altringer of Howard Lake, MN and Jean Lynn Brown of Niantic, CT; daughter-in-law Janet Christenson of Albuquerque, NM; grandchildren Beth Dan Altringer, Steve Melissa Bergeson, John Bergeson, Greg Shelli Altringer, Angela Eugene Krueger, Matthew Maureen Brown, Nathaniel Melissa Brown, Rachael Brown, Anne Sean White, Julie Jerome Norris and Theodore Katrina Christenson; great-grandchildren Lindsey Altringer, Scott Brittany Altringer, Bridget Bergeson, Megan Bergeson, Nicholas Bergeson, Emma Bergeson, Wesley Hartley, Paul Altringer, Roman Altringer, Alex Krueger, Summer Krueger, William Krueger, Luke Krueger, Jesse Krueger; Erik Brown, Ryan Brown, Peyton Katherine Brown, Madeline Brown, Nathan Brown, Joshua Norris and Mikayla Norris; great-great-grandson Bradley Norris; sister-in-law Gladys Christopherson.

Services for Katherine will be held on Friday, January 23 at 11:00 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, where she was a member since 1946, with visitation starting at Trinity at 10:00 a.m. Friday. Burial will follow the service at Riverside Cemetery in Moorhead.

Memorials may be sent to the Irv Christenson Scholarship Fund at Concordia College in Moorhead.