Clayton A. Christenson

Clayton A. Christenson, 84, peacefully passed away Friday June 12th, 2015. Clayton was born January 4th, 1931 to William and Hulda Christenson. He and his 12 brothers and sisters were raised on a farm in Oak Orchard, WI. He then moved to Chicago for several years to work in a large hotel and restaurant kitchen. He subsequently enlisted and honorably served in the U.S. Navy from 1954 to 1956 as an airport serviceman aboard the U.S.S. Kearsarge and was stationed at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Kingsville, Texas. On October 6, 1962, he married his "sweetie", Mabel (Petry) Christenson at the courthouse in Oconto, WI. Upon completion of his military service, he worked as a die caster at Briggs & Stratton in Milwaukee, WI.

After 37 years, he retired and built a home in Oak Orchard, WI, just down the road from the family farm where he grew up. His retirement years were mostly spent outdoors, where he enjoyed tending to his vegetable gardens; mowing his ever-growing acres of lawn; landscaping his ponds, bridges, and walking paths; and annually redesigning his flower displays. In recognition of his efforts, he was presented with the Oconto Garden Club's Green Thumb Award. Family and friends often referred to his property as a "park" because of its beauty. His favorite retirement activity was to feed and watch visiting wildlife, including sandhill cranes, geese, deer, turkeys, and birds at his many feeders. The animal he most loved was the family dog, Buster, who loyally spent 17 years by his side.

Together, Clayton and Mabel, raised three wonderful children: Crystal Christenson, Germantown, WI; Bill (LeeAnn) Christenson, Madisonville, KY; and Barry (Chris) Christenson, Pleasant Prairie, WI. He passed along his love of the outdoors by spending every summer up at their cabin where they explored the woods, went fishing, played yard games, and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. In winter, he would take them to local parks in Milwaukee to go tobogganing.

He is further survived by his siblings: Russel Christenson, June (Gordon) Glatzel, Robert (Joanne) Christenson, and Arlene (Hank) Rotering.

Grandpa Clayton is already greatly missed by his grandchildren: Dr. Laura Marie (Matt Baudhuin) LaPlante, Suzanne (Andy) LeFebre, Heather Purvis, Kattie Purvis, Josephine Raley, Drake and Chase Christenson, Abi and Travis Lopour. He also has four great-grandchildren: Anthony LeFebre, Jadyn Johnston, Ahliyah LeFebre, and Noah Lowry.

He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews who have fond memories of time spent up north with Uncle Clayton. He loved sharing many of his favorite pastimes with them – fishing, swimming, canoeing, camping, and building bonfires. They looked forward to the family reunions he hosted with their pig roasts, fish fries, and card games that lasted late into the night.

Clayton was preceded in death by his parents, William and Hulda Christenson, as well as his siblings, Morris (Rosemary) Christenson, Earl Christenson, Dorothy (Charles) Gleason, Helen (Arnold) Zimmerman, Alice (Adrian) Perrault, Laura Marie Christenson, Doris (Vernon) Richardson, Mary (John) Oberle.

Per his wishes, Clayton will be cremated and his ashes scattered by his immediate family on the land in Oak Orchard. In lieu of any gifts or flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Northeast Wisconsin Audubon Society, P.O. Box 1, Green Bay, WI 54305.

The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the nurses at Columbia St. Mary's Hospice in Mequon, WI, who treated Clayton with compassion and dignity and who comforted the family with their presence.