DeLone Janice Christensen

In Remembrance of Our Cherished, Fierce, Silly, Adventurous, Shimmering, Snuggly, and Powerful Mom.

Mom always said she would have liked her name better if she was named after someone in the family – but she was singular – distinct – the heroine of her 94 ¾ year saga, who also shone in her supportive roles. She left us as the true matriarch of what she viewed to be her masterpiece – her family.

Mom was born on April 16, 1930, in Slope County, North Dakota. She loved to share stories about her childhood on the ranch and her cowboy father (Philander “Phil” Onsgaard) with whom she was so close.  Like her own mom (Jenny [Drew] Onsgaard), Mom always held in balance her fierce survivor-spirit and her caring compassionate heart.  Her own small-but-mighty mother (who once single-handedly saved a rocking chair and her children from a house fire, and who lived with a .22 bullet lodged too close to her heart to remove) cared for the family and ranch hands, a tradition Mom honored by caring for all those drawn to her circle of warmth.

Mom’s passion for westerns lasted her entire life – often adorned in turquoise and silver, always looking sharp and classy, while maintaining her grit and wit. Man, she was funny, the smart kind, with a touch of naughty, which she passed down the generations.

Mom’s family moved to Wisconsin where she went to school, met and married Jim Christensen in 1951. After a few years together, she decided to forgive him for their fishing shack honeymoon (further tarnished by a ruined white leather jacket), they started a family. Together they raised 3 (abashedly, wonderful) children. Alongside their growing family, together they built a building contractor business. They stood by and alongside each other for 60 years, until our Dad (the late great “Bumpi-o”) passed in 2011. Mom was dedicated to her family, warm, welcoming, and a whole lot of fun!

Mom’s love and care will always be wonderfully remembered by her kids – Cindy Christensen (husband Todd Weir), Dana Christensen (life partner Donna Siegworth), and Wendy Christensen (husband Mike Kemmer).  Grandma and Bumpa were adored by their grandchildren – Dana Landis (grandma’s fingers remain crossed), Britt Landis (husband Daniel Rothberg), and DJ Christensen (wife Ayda Santos) and great-granddaughter, Lena Drew Landis Rothberg. She is additionally missed by her constant companion of the feline variety, her precious cat Molly, who’s life contentment was snuggling with Mom until the end.

She loved wildlife and all animals including the menagerie of pets that owned us! She was a healer of raccoons, a rehabilitator of crows, a woman who honored life in all its diverse expressions. She was inclusive, no prude mind you, and so accepting. She grew with the times, always open, a live-and-let-live kind of lady, who continued to learn and grow through the end of her life.

Mom instilled a love for travel and for the outdoors in her children.  Mom and dad made sure we enjoyed plenty of adventures-whether snowmobiling, horseback riding, canoeing, rafting, Canada fishing, golfing, dirt biking, or just enjoying peaceful walks in the beautiful north woods at the family cabin.  Many of these adventures were enthusiastically shared with relatives and close family friends.

Mom always had a comeback round.  It’s still hard to grasp precisely that she’s not coming back this time. And while we are sad, we are filled with an infinite abundance of memories of a wonderful woman-mother-grandmother-great gramma- human-soul who led a beautiful, interesting, and loving life. A life she lived – fully.

She was a ‘classy broad’ with impeccable style, an impish smile and a huge heart. She was, so cuddly — she was “home” to her family.  Her greatest accomplishment, she expressed in reflecting on her life, was to have created a family that loves each other, gets along, and has fun together – we promise to honor this always.

“Mom, we love and miss you deeply. Give dad our love! We know we have 2 fiercely protective, deeply silly, and profoundly loving forces rooting for us from beyond the veil. Let the heavenly card games begin!”

A private memorial will be held at a later date.  If you wish to honor our mom, reach out to others (including animals!) with kindness and generosity.