Ann Christensen

Ann Christensen, 76, died Monday, March 21, 2011 at Pioneer Memorial Nursing Home, Viborg. Funeral services will be at 2:00pm Friday, March 25, 2011 at Zion Lutheran Church, Hurley with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation will begin at 2:00pm Thursday at the Hofmeister-Jones Funeral Chapel, Hurley with a Prayer Service to begin at 7:00pm. Annabelle Frieda Christensen was born July 14, 1934 to William and Hilda Brehmer of Bellingham, Minn. Baptized on July 29 of the same year, she was confirmed 14 years later on June 22, 1947. Captain of the Bellingham High School Bearcats cheerleading squad, Ann was also valedictorian of her graduating class of 1952. Following high school, she began teaching at Grant Center #6, a one-room schoolhouse outside of Milbank, S.D. Over the next two summers, she attended Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen and earned her teacher’s certificate in 1954. She married Keith Wayne Christensen of Revillo, S.D. on June 22, 1955. While “perfectly happy staying home being a housewife and taking care of [her] little ones,” Ann’s love of education compelled her to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education in 1970 from Black Hills State College in Spearfish, S.D. She subsequently taught in Belle Fourche and Clark, S.D. Years later, the State of South Dakota recognized Ann with an Award of Excellence for her service to a one-teacher rural school. Of all the things Ann loved to do – teach, paint, sing, waltz, garden, and cook – she loved caring for her family the most. Loyal to her husband, she helped move their family five times during his career with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Setting her teaching profession aside, she supported her family by working at various businesses including a bank, potato factory, and seed company. She also worked at the South Dakota Livestock Sanitary Board in Pierre and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. During retirement, she enjoyed working as a substitute teacher with the Hurley School System and being a foreign exchange, host mother to Mary Baxmeier from Germany and Elodie Chaidron of Brussels. She was an active member of her congregation, the LWML, and the Senior Citizens Center. She will be remembered for her sound faith, strong marriage and generosity to others. Ann will be greatly missed by her four children: LeAnn (Jerry) Carr of Flandreau, S.D.; Tim (Brenda) Christensen of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Kristi (Chuck) Nelson of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Jeanne (Tim) Schieffer of Columbus, Neb.; 12 grandchildren: Brandon Carr, Angela Carr, Jenna Carr, Garrett Carr, Christopher Christensen, Aaron Christensen, Nicholas Christensen, Rebecca Nelson, Jillian Nelson, Sarah Nelson, Emily Schieffer, Abbey Schieffer; three sisters: Marjorie (Don) Roiland of Chokio, Minn., Bernice (Roger) Josephson of Madison, Minn., Arlene (John) Pederson of Chippewa Falls, Wisc.; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and brother, Ralph Brehmer of Revillo, S.D.