MN Bridge is sad to report the death of a longstanding, successful bridge player and good friend to many, Van Christenson. Van was in Arizona with wife and long time partner, Sharon, when he passed away. Sharon sent us this remembrance of her husband.
Condolences to Sharon from all of us in the Minnesota bridge world family.
Stafford Van Arnam Christenson, Age 85
Van Christenson, of Edina, MN and Sun City, AZ died February 24, 2012 in Odyssey Hospice, Sun City, Arizona, of respiratory failure.
Born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, January 31, 1927, to Arthur and Hazel Christenson, Van was a brilliant and generous man, wonderful father, excellent student, and a ACBL Gold Life Master with over 4,700 master points. He graduated from high school in Fergus Falls, MN , at the age of 16, was accepted into the V-12 Navy College Training Program at age 17 and attended one year each at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Union and Rensselaer in New York, and the University of Minnesota where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Van was a veteran of WWII, and was one of nine young men in the U.S. to participate in the first class of Atomic Studies at the Argonne National Laboratories.
He worked for Ottertail Power, Donovan Construction, and was President and CEO of his own firm Vanalt Construction. Besides playing bridge, his hobbies included: playing volleyball at the St. Paul Athletic Club, exercising at the YMCA, cycling, and spending time with his family. He was a member of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, MN and Church of the Palms in Sun City, AZ.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon, of 36 years; siblings, Georgia Tayler, Howard VanDyk (Dorothy), Jan Prietauer (Ed), Jack Christenson (Terry); children, Sue Favilla (Mike), John Christenson (Suzan Wiberg), Mary Christenson (Nan Cournoyer), Brenda Jo Bowling (John), Shari Brandt (Jeff), Marcie Errico (Greg); grandchildren, Peter Favilla (Andrea), Andy Favilla (Satoko Muratake), Jonathan Kline, Elizabeth Ovel (Joe), SaraLynn Bowling, Andrea Brandt, John-William Bowling, Jeffrey Brandt, Granite Errico, Braun Errico, Max Errico, and Strijker Errico, and great-grandchildren, Alexandra and Louis Favilla.
Van was preceded in death by wives Evelyn (Thalmann) Christenson and Lucille (Thalmann) Christenson; and parents Hazel Van Dyk and Arthur Christenson, and stepfather Anthony T. Van Dyk.
A celebration of life service was held on February 26, 2012 at Church of the Palms in Sun City, Arizona. There will also be a celebration of life service in Minneapolis at Plymouth Congregational Church in June
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Church of the Palms, Plymouth Congregational Church, or Gentiva Odyssey Hospice Foundation at 202 E. Earll Dr., Suite 160, Phoenix, AZ 85012.