March 13, 2015
OTTUMWA-Bill Christensen, 86, formerly of 409 E. Manning, died at 1:30 p.m. March 12, 2015 at Vista Woods Care Center.
He was born on April 8, 1928, Easter Sunday, on a farm in Audubon County, IA to Randolph “Ran” and Gladys Alma Laughery Christensen. They lived on farms in Audubon and Cass counties until moving to an acreage west of Atlantic, IA in 1934. He attended country schools during first grade, then the Atlantic public schools. He graduated from Atlantic High School in 1946.
Bill received his Bachelor’s Degree from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville in 1950. He married Margaret Berry on August 6, 1950 in Shenandoah, IA. He was a teacher-coach in Ladora, IA in 1950-1951.
He served in the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) out of Sioux City, IA making background checks for military personnel being considered for positions of trust in security areas from 1951-1953.
Bill was a teacher-coach in Sibley, IA from 1953-58. After losing to Davenport, the 1958 Sibley basketball team defeated Sioux City Central for the Consolation championship in the Iowa State Basketball Tournament. He received his Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1958. He was a teacher-coach in Ottumwa 1958-64 and a driver educator until retiring in 1990.
Bill was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ottumwa, where he served on many committees, taught Sunday school and sang in the choir. He was a Rotary club member in Sibley and in Ottumwa since 1966. He was President in 1986-87 and served as treasurer for many years. He was a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a Benefactor to the Rotary Foundation. He served several years as Rotary Assistant District Governor in District 6000.
He was a life member of the National Education Association and Iowa State Education Association. He was a member of Iowa Association of Safety Education where he served as President and a Board member. Bill was a member of American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association while teaching. He was a member of Ottumwa Regional Health Center Auxiliary and volunteered as a Lifeline installer.
Surviving is his wife, Margaret; a daughter, Catherine Forney of Thurman, IA; grandchildren, Lucas (Hannah) Forney, Katie (Thomas Lemon) Forney and Billy (Kelli) Forney; 5 great-grandchildren, Ava, Maia, Max, Aryanna and Gwendolyn; a sister, Phyllis Shrader of Gainesville, VA; two nieces and a nephew.
