John Christensen on May 1, 2012 at 8:02 pm

Ruth E. Christensen 89, of Lincoln, formerly of Valparaiso, NE died April 27, 2012 in Lincoln. She was born November 25, 1922 in Valparaiso, NE to Nels and Esther (Olson) Nord. She married Clarence Christensen, Jr. on April 6, 1946, while teaching at Indian Camp country school. Ruth retired from Raymond Central Public Schools in 1986 after serving as secretary, bookkeeper, bus driver and substitute teacher for 30 years. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ceresco, where she was baptized and confirmed. Ruth was a dedicated community member, serving on many boards and supporting many organizations, including the Valparaiso Senior Center, Valparaiso Heritage Club, Valparaiso Woman’s Club, Eastern Star, WELCA and the Valparaiso Community Club. She was a strong advocate of the Valparaiso Library, and founded the Ruth Christensen Scholarship Fund at Raymond Central High School for future teachers. She loved history, genealogy, served and supported all churches in Valparaiso and in Ceresco.
Visitation: Visitation will be held at Wyuka Funeral Home, 3600 O Street, Monday, April 30, 2012, from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Service: Will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ceresco, NE, on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor John Sievers officiating.
Family Gathering: Family present to greet friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Cemetery: Valparaiso Community Cemetery.
Memorials: Immanuel Lutheran Church; Raymond Central Educational Foundation – Ruth Christensen Scholarship Fund; American Heart Association.
Ruth is survived by her husband of 66 years, Clarence; son, Dan and Sue Christensen of Holdrege, NE; daughter, Cynthia Christensen of Louisville, KY; son, John Christensen of Ceresco, NE; grandchildren Aaron Schneider (Jenny), Mikhaila Mauricio (Jacinto), Tim, Nathan (Tela), Rob (Andrea), and Alina Ukinski-Radnovich (Chris); and five great-grandchildren, Sierra, Emma, Adam, Josh, and Alejandro; and sisters-in-law Erma and Margaret Nord, Lincoln and Genevieve Christensen, Fremont, NE. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Jeanne Schneider; grandson, Anders Ukinski; parents; brothers Walter, Carl, and Ivan; sister, Irene Nord; and infant sister, Dorothy.

Ruth E. Christensen. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother, surrogate mother, teacher, substitute teacher, census taker, executive secretary, dispatcher, bookkeeper, pianist, organist, well respected community member, historian, librarian, Lutheran, devout Christian, club member, board member, dignified, elegant….bus driver? She drove the bus with her usual style and grace.
Ruth was the fourth of six children. The youngest child Dorothy died as an infant. Her father, Nels Nord, was a Swedish immigrant who met his future wife and Ruth’s mother, Esther Olson, in the local church, Grace Lutheran, near Swedeburg, where she was the housekeeper in the Parsonage. They bought a farm southwest of Valparaiso, Nebraska in 1911 where they eked out a living. Their house burned to the ground while Esther and the children were visiting Esther’s parents in Omaha. Nels was home at the time and was found unconscious in the yard, having been overcome by smoke while trying to remove the few valuables they had from the burning house. He died of throat cancer when Ruth was five, and her mother raised the five remaining children by herself through the depression. Two of her three sons were called to war. Somehow they survived, dirt poor but dignified.
Clarence, who worked for his father’s mechanic garage, first saw Ruth walking by with her friends one evening while working late as a welder, and decided that the beautiful Nord girl had to be his. After two interruptions, by war and a B-29 training deployment to California, they were married April 6th, 1946. They had two girls and two boys.
She loved to travel. Family vacations every summer all over the United States. Once, while on vacation in Colorado on the Pikes Peak Highway, a tape recorder was secretly set to record by the children in the back seat while co-conspirator Clarence raced up the mountain, sliding around every corner at record speed. She was teased for years afterward about her reactions caught on tape, played back for the whole extended family back home to hear. She was always a good sport, even when she was the subject of the joke. In 1978, she, Clarence, her two brothers and their wives, Carl and Margaret, Ivan and Erma, and her sister Irene went to Sweden for vacation. She was very proud of her Swedish heritage.
She secretly loved driving cars with lots of horsepower. To her delight, Clarence removed the 327 in her 64 Chevy, and replaced it with a souped up 350. Occasionally she could be seen driving Clarence’s Camaro to work when her car was receiving maintenance. She drove it to Shaw AFB, SC, in 1971, delivering it to Clarence who was receiving training there at that time.
She had perfect pitch, could sight read piano music, and could play by ear as well. She was often rushed to the organ when she entered church on Sunday morning to fill in for a sick or vacationing regular organist, often playing the first hymn while taking off her coat.
She played a major role in making Nebraska’s first school consolidation work, with heated resistance from all sides in communities that had been school rivals for decades.
She attended Midland College where she earned her teaching certificate, and also attended Nebraska Wesleyan. She taught at one-room schools near Valparaiso, including Lane School west of Agnew, Agnew School, and Indian Camp School. She was a secretary and substitute teacher at the Valparaiso School until the consolidation, when she became secretary to the Superintendent for the then, newly-formed Raymond Central Public Schools.
She worked 12-hour days, 6 days a week, 12 months a year, for YEARS for the school. No summer breaks for Ruth. Payroll still had to go out, among many other things that had to be done at the school(s) all year round. She would then rush home to cook supper and care for her children and take them to piano lessons, or watch her kids participate in sports and music, many times by herself as Clarence proudly served his country on the many long deployments and varying unusual hours that his career demanded of him. And yet, she still found time for the many aforementioned duties that she performed. She was up every morning at five quietly doing exercises in the dining room, with the lights off, before any of the family was awake.
When Ruth submitted her retirement, giving 30 days notice, she was turned down, probably the first time in her career that she had been turned down for anything. She was replaced by computers and two employees who she helped train to replace her, working three months beyond when she had planned to retire.
While Clarence’s career would overshadow many, Ruth’s career accomplished extraordinary things behind the spotlight that changed so many lives for the better in her communities, and she neither required nor wanted recognition. She dedicated her entire life to education, her faith, her community, the church and her family. She demanded the best from her children, and loved them unconditionally. She made sure they knew how to love, share, be polite, be giving, an no howe too spel, construct sentences real good, and how to talk correct. She had a great sense of humor, too. Although she did NOT like Swedish jokes (though that never stopped us from teasing her by telling them).
In retirement, she remained active with church and community, and with Clarence, explored the Continent, traveling by car, plane, boat, and train to Alaska, Canada, Florida and all points in between, visiting children and grandchildren, as well as just to sight see on vacation.
When her classmate and friend Ivan Bartek’s children lost their parents, Ruth became their surrogate mother, and Clarence their surrogate father.
She aged with dignity and grace, and was loved by all who knew her. She will be missed and remembered forever. Rest assured, she has already found the chocolate and pecan pie a la mode stands in heaven!

Good Bye, Mom! We Love You!

6 Comments

Bryan Olson on April 29, 2012 at 10:08 pm

Many nice memories of Ruth and Clarence, attending so many events back in my younger days, graduations, sports, and community events. She was so involved in things, and really lived a full life, so many will miss her presence. My sympathy to all her family and friends, and especially Clarence.
Jane Allmand on April 30, 2012 at 1:46 am

I was so very sorry to hear of Ruth’s passing. My thoughts are with you all. Ruth was such a pretty woman on the outside and the inside. I am so sorry. I know she will be missed dearly. I will be unable to attend the visitation or the funeral as I work Monday night and Tuesday all day. My prayers are with you. Jane
Kia Itzen on April 30, 2012 at 4:16 pm

Uncle John and family-So very sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and my heart heavy. May you forever keep her alive in your hearts thru the memories you hold close.
Maureen Brophy (Trueblood) on April 30, 2012 at 8:43 pm

My prayers are with you all as you grieve the loss of such a wonderful lady.
Maureen
Judy Lamb on May 1, 2012 at 5:57 pm

Col. Chris and family. So sorry to hear of Ruth’s passing. She was a lovely lady. So glad I got to visit with her recently and sorry I missed the visitation. God Bless
John Christensen on May 1, 2012 at 8:02 pm

Ruth E. Christensen 89, of Lincoln, formerly of Valparaiso, NE died April 27, 2012 in Lincoln. She was born November 25, 1922 in Valparaiso, NE to Nels and Esther (Olson) Nord. She married Clarence Christensen, Jr. on April 6, 1946, while teaching at Indian Camp country school. Ruth retired from Raymond Central Public Schools in 1986 after serving as secretary, bookkeeper, bus driver and substitute teacher for 30 years. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ceresco, where she was baptized and confirmed. Ruth was a dedicated community member, serving on many boards and supporting many organizations, including the Valparaiso Senior Center, Valparaiso Heritage Club, Valparaiso Woman’s Club, Eastern Star, WELCA and the Valparaiso Community Club. She was a strong advocate of the Valparaiso Library, and founded the Ruth Christensen Scholarship Fund at Raymond Central High School for future teachers. She loved history, genealogy, served and supported all churches in Valparaiso and in Ceresco.
Visitation: Visitation will be held at Wyuka Funeral Home, 3600 O Street, Monday, April 30, 2012, from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Service: Will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ceresco, NE, on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor John Sievers officiating.
Family Gathering: Family present to greet friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Cemetery: Valparaiso Community Cemetery.
Memorials: Immanuel Lutheran Church; Raymond Central Educational Foundation – Ruth Christensen Scholarship Fund; American Heart Association.
Ruth is survived by her husband of 66 years, Clarence; son, Dan and Sue Christensen of Holdrege, NE; daughter, Cynthia Christensen of Louisville, KY; son, John Christensen of Ceresco, NE; grandchildren Aaron Schneider (Jenny), Mikhaila Mauricio (Jacinto), Tim, Nathan (Tela), Rob (Andrea), and Alina Ukinski-Radnovich (Chris); and five great-grandchildren, Sierra, Emma, Adam, Josh, and Alejandro; and sisters-in-law Erma and Margaret Nord, Lincoln and Genevieve Christensen, Fremont, NE. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Jeanne Schneider; grandson, Anders Ukinski; parents; brothers Walter, Carl, and Ivan; sister, Irene Nord; and infant sister, Dorothy.

Ruth E. Christensen. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother, surrogate mother, teacher, substitute teacher, census taker, executive secretary, dispatcher, bookkeeper, pianist, organist, well respected community member, historian, librarian, Lutheran, devout Christian, club member, board member, dignified, elegant….bus driver? She drove the bus with her usual style and grace.
Ruth was the fourth of six children. The youngest child Dorothy died as an infant. Her father, Nels Nord, was a Swedish immigrant who met his future wife and Ruth’s mother, Esther Olson, in the local church, Grace Lutheran, near Swedeburg, where she was the housekeeper in the Parsonage. They bought a farm southwest of Valparaiso, Nebraska in 1911 where they eked out a living. Their house burned to the ground while Esther and the children were visiting Esther’s parents in Omaha. Nels was home at the time and was found unconscious in the yard, having been overcome by smoke while trying to remove the few valuables they had from the burning house. He died of throat cancer when Ruth was five, and her mother raised the five remaining children by herself through the depression. Two of her three sons were called to war. Somehow they survived, dirt poor but dignified.
Clarence, who worked for his father’s mechanic garage, first saw Ruth walking by with her friends one evening while working late as a welder, and decided that the beautiful Nord girl had to be his. After two interruptions, by war and a B-29 training deployment to California, they were married April 6th, 1946. They had two girls and two boys.
She loved to travel. Family vacations every summer all over the United States. Once, while on vacation in Colorado on the Pikes Peak Highway, a tape recorder was secretly set to record by the children in the back seat while co-conspirator Clarence raced up the mountain, sliding around every corner at record speed. She was teased for years afterward about her reactions caught on tape, played back for the whole extended family back home to hear. She was always a good sport, even when she was the subject of the joke. In 1978, she, Clarence, her two brothers and their wives, Carl and Margaret, Ivan and Erma, and her sister Irene went to Sweden for vacation. She was very proud of her Swedish heritage.
She secretly loved driving cars with lots of horsepower. To her delight, Clarence removed the 327 in her 64 Chevy, and replaced it with a souped up 350. Occasionally she could be seen driving Clarence’s Camaro to work when her car was receiving maintenance. She drove it to Shaw AFB, SC, in 1971, delivering it to Clarence who was receiving training there at that time.
She had perfect pitch, could sight read piano music, and could play by ear as well. She was often rushed to the organ when she entered church on Sunday morning to fill in for a sick or vacationing regular organist, often playing the first hymn while taking off her coat.
She played a major role in making Nebraska’s first school consolidation work, with heated resistance from all sides in communities that had been school rivals for decades.
She attended Midland College where she earned her teaching certificate, and also attended Nebraska Wesleyan. She taught at one-room schools near Valparaiso, including Lane School west of Agnew, Agnew School, and Indian Camp School. She was a secretary and substitute teacher at the Valparaiso School until the consolidation, when she became secretary to the Superintendent for the then, newly-formed Raymond Central Public Schools.
She worked 12-hour days, 6 days a week, 12 months a year, for YEARS for the school. No summer breaks for Ruth. Payroll still had to go out, among many other things that had to be done at the school(s) all year round. She would then rush home to cook supper and care for her children and take them to piano lessons, or watch her kids participate in sports and music, many times by herself as Clarence proudly served his country on the many long deployments and varying unusual hours that his career demanded of him. And yet, she still found time for the many aforementioned duties that she performed. She was up every morning at five quietly doing exercises in the dining room, with the lights off, before any of the family was awake.
When Ruth submitted her retirement, giving 30 days notice, she was turned down, probably the first time in her career that she had been turned down for anything. She was replaced by computers and two employees who she helped train to replace her, working three months beyond when she had planned to retire.
While Clarence’s career would overshadow many, Ruth’s career accomplished extraordinary things behind the spotlight that changed so many lives for the better in her communities, and she neither required nor wanted recognition. She dedicated her entire life to education, her faith, her community, the church and her family. She demanded the best from her children, and loved them unconditionally. She made sure they knew how to love, share, be polite, be giving, an no howe too spel, construct sentences real good, and how to talk correct. She had a great sense of humor, too. Although she did NOT like Swedish jokes (though that never stopped us from teasing her by telling them).
In retirement, she remained active with church and community, and with Clarence, explored the Continent, traveling by car, plane, boat, and train to Alaska, Canada, Florida and all points in between, visiting children and grandchildren, as well as just to sight see on vacation.
When her classmate and friend Ivan Bartek’s children lost their parents, Ruth became their surrogate mother, and Clarence their surrogate father.
She aged with dignity and grace, and was loved by all who knew her. She will be missed and remembered forever. Rest assured, she has already found the chocolate and pecan pie a la mode stands in heaven!

Good Bye, Mom! We Love You!

Ruth E. Christensen

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