Linda Christensen 1939 - 2020

 Linda Lee Christensen, a servant of God, passed away January 10, 2020, at the age of 80, in McMinnville, Oregon, after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

Linda was born in Holdrege, Nebraska, the first of three children to Paul and Hila Porter. She grew up in Uehling, Nebraska, a small town of 250, where her dad was the manager and co-owner of Hillside Dairy. He taught her his strong work ethic. Her mother, Hila, was a loving and meticulous homemaker with an informal 10 a.m. coffee hour in her home every day. Hila taught Linda to sew, to thoroughly clean the house, modeled a good mother, and to be a Christian at an early age. Linda was a high school cheerleader, the homecoming queen, and the valedictorian of her class.

She went to the University of Nebraska, where she majored in elementary education and met her future husband, Pete. Linda earned a special two-year teaching certificate in 1959, and taught for a year in Fremont, Nebraska: her class had 35 students!

After three years of dating, Pete and Linda were married on May 15, 1960, and enjoyed 59 years of married life together. They lived in Long Beach, California, while Pete was in the Navy. Linda taught in a private school in Long Beach until Jon came along a year later. After three years in the Navy, they returned to Nebraska. They lived in three towns where Pete was teaching: in Lyons, where Dave was born; in Falls City, where Tom was born; and in Fremont, where Bill was born. Linda was a full-time homemaker for 25 years, but she worked diligently to finish her college degree.

In 1977, the family moved to Stayton, Oregon, where Pete was the middle school principal. Once all the children were in school, Linda returned to teaching at West Stayton Elementary, the Catholic school in The Dalles, and finally at Memorial Elementary School in McMinnville, where she taught fifth grade for her last ten years of teaching. She completed her bachelor's degree and then a master's degree in reading at Oregon State. She retired in 2000, then mentored Linfield College students in their student teaching in area schools.

She enjoyed traveling with her husband and seeing their children and grandchildren.

The Lord blessed Linda with a pure and loving heart, which she used to teach many children, She played the piano at home and the organ in church, sang in the church choir, organized and taught Vacation Bible School, and gave loving care and encouragement to her husband, four children and their wives, and to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved to host gatherings with her children, grandchildren, siblings, and close friends, and hosted New Year's Eve parties for many years. In her spare time, Linda loved to garden, to make beautiful quilts she could give to others, make blankets for the needy, travel and explore new “lands," and help students learn to read in the Smart Reading program.
She supported her children in all their school and church activities, and though she was not a sports fan, she supported her family at rainy, windy Oregon State football games into cold and wet Novembers! She loved getaways to be with her family. For any church or school project, she was one of the voices saying “we can do this, and we will make it good." As a teacher, she delighted in helping all students to learn to their best potential and adjusted the classroom for each child to help them learn to be successful.

Linda is survived by her husband, Pete; sons, Jon (and Laura), David (and Lynne), Tom (and Diana), and Bill (and Shelli). She leaves behind two brothers, Larry (and Eleanor) and Garry (and Nadine). She is survived by 13 grandchildren, Travis (Carrie), Nikki, Erik, Brandon, Neah, Morgan,Trevor, Abby, Parker, Caleb (Rebecca), Bethany, Andrew and Peter. She also leaves behind three wonderful great-grandchildren and many nephews and nieces.

The past six years, Linda battled the challenges of Alzheimer's, which slowly took away the skills and abilities she once enjoyed. Surrounded by husband and family, she died at Hillside Memory Care in McMinnville.

We need more loving, caring people in this world. Linda will be sorely missed.

A memorial service for Linda is planned for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 1, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Dallas, Oregon. Donations are welcomed to the Smart Reading program in Portland. Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center is caring for the family. www.dallastribute.com

 

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