Clifford Christenson

Clifford H. Christenson, 88, of Rib Mountain, Wisconsin, passed away on July 9, 2016 of congestive heart failure. He was residing with his wife of 30 years, Alice Bartelt Roesler Christenson, who is a patient at Azura Memory Care Facility. She survives. Clifford was born on May 6, 1928 to Alfred and Hilda Christenson of Montevideo, Minnesota. He married his first wife Norma Lee Alexander, also of Montevideo, in June of 1947, and they raised their family in Roscoe and Mitchell, South Dakota, and then in Schofield, Wisconsin, where Norma passed in 1982. Clifford was blessed with a second marriage to Alice in 1986, and the couple lived between Wausau, Wisconsin and Mesa, Arizona.

Survivors include his four children: Mary Leemhuis and husband Don of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, David Christenson and wife Barb of Mitchell, South Dakota, Michael Christenson of Tucson, Arizona, and Lori Rahlf and Kurt Vetter, of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Clifford also has four surviving stepchildren: Marlene Leatherwood and husband Nelson of Scottsdale, AZ, Sharon Long and husband Russ of Phillips, Wisconsin, David Roesler and wife Ceeda of Mosinee, Wisconsin, and Mark Roesler of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Also surviving are twelve grandchildren: Corey Leemhuis, Lee and Lars Christenson, Bradley Wellington, Jon Becker, Garrett Gantz, Erich Rahlf, Rachel Gable, Alisson Dethlefs, Stacey Pinski, Luke Blaschka, Elijah Roesler, and twelve great-grandchildren: Teya and Kylee Leemhuis, Chelsea and Mahayla Foos, Alexis and Kayden Christenson, Arianna Erdmann, Cole and Chase Gable, Audrey and Zachary Pinski, and Alec Blaschka.

Clifford worked on the railroad as a signal maintainer, (mostly with the Milwaukee Road) for over 45 years. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and loved traveling and sharing his love of nature with his family. His favorite place in the world was the Black Hills National Forest of South Dakota.

The funeral service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 501 Stewart Avenue, Wausau, Wisconsin on Thursday, July 14 at 11:00 am. Visitation will be held prior to service at the church beginning at 10:00 am.

A short prayer service and the burial will be at 1:00 pm on Friday, July 15, at Sunset Memorial Cemetery, 1923 Benson Road, Montevideo, Minnesota.

You may sign the family guestbook at www.helke.com.

The family wishes to thank Azura Memory Care and Interim Hospice for your compassionate care of Clifford and our entire family.

Cliff Christenson - A devoted husband and father with a kind and generous heart; he never gave up.