Robert Lee Christensen, age 89, died Saturday, April 14, 2018 at Brookdale Assisted Living in Stevens Point, WI.
Bob was born on February 12, 1929 in the Town of Dayton, in Waupaca County to the late Oswald and Jenny (Rait) Christensen. He graduated from Scandinavia High School in 1947. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1950. He was stationed in Guam for 18 months and served the remainder of his enlistment at Hamilton Air Force Base in San Rafael, CA. While on leave, before departing from Guam, he proposed to the girl he first met at the Rosholt Fair in 1946, Clarice Halverson. They were married seven days later at Alban Lutheran Church on May 19, 1951. Attending the fair became an annual tradition passed on to their children and grandchildren. After being honorably discharged from the Air Force in 1954, he worked for a short time in Waupaca before moving to Merrill and working for Kloss Radio and Appliance. In 1956, he began working for Wisconsin Bell Telephone Co as a lineman in Merrill. Different jobs with the phone company brought moves to Kimberly and Hudson, WI before settling in Eau Claire in 1955 and residing there for 45 years. He retired from the phone company in 1989, after 33 years. In 2010, they moved to Stevens Point to be closer to family. Lifelong friendships were established in each community they lived. Bob was active at Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, serving on various committees, ushering, driving the Grace Van, participating in Men’s Bible Study, and working in the sound booth for services. He served as a union steward with the CWA, and after retirement, he volunteered repairing tape machines for the Talking Books Program. He also served on the Eau Claire Transit Board. He loved playing cards, sharing stories, and meeting people. Bob served many years as a poll worker in Eau Claire, and always emphasized the importance of knowing the issues and exercising your right to vote.
Survivors include his wife, Clarice (Halverson) of 66 years; children, Noreen (Richard) Bartosh of Wisconsin Rapids, Lee (Sue) of Batavia, IL, and Dale (Sue) of Stevens Point; grandchildren, Eric (Alyssa) Bartosh, Kristen (David) George, Andrew (Andrea) Bartosh, Dan (Nichole) Christensen, Sarah (Tyler) Brauhn, Catherine Christensen, Kyle Christensen, and Kari Christensen; great-grandchildren, Drew, Brynn, Hollis, Alison, Holden, Leo, Jack, and Wesley. He is also survived by his brother, Donald (Janice) Christensen; sister, Betty Kropilnicki, and Dorothy Inderdahl; and sister-in-law, Joan Larson.
His family would like to thank the staff of Brookdale Assisted Living and Ministry Hospice for their care and support.
A Funeral Service, celebrating his life, will be held 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 23, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church. A time of visitation and sharing of memories will be held on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Boston Funeral Home and at the church on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will be held in Alban Lutheran Cemetery. Memorial may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, 1410 Rogers St., Stevens Point WI 54481 or Grace Lutheran Church, 202 W Grand Ave, Eau Claire WI 54703 or ELCA Disaster Relief Fund.