Thomas Harry Christensen

October 25, 1934 — October 29, 2024

Tom Christensen
October 25, 1934 - October 29, 2024

Thomas Harry Christensen, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Helen (Safford) and Fred Christensen. Tom celebrated his
90th birthday surrounded by family and friends at Brookdale Fillmore Pond, a senior living community in Bennington, Vermont. Folks wished Big Tom “Happy Birthday” with songs, cards,
gifts, and smiles. His chosen birthday dessert was apple pie with a crumb topping served a la mode.

Tom loved connecting with people and would often initiate casual conversation by a tease or a joke. With a wry but friendly grin he’d tell a fellow resident, “Hey buddy, stop speeding down that hallway.” Laughter always followed, at least on Tom’s part. And he often made up absurd jokes for the sake of laughter. In his elder years, he wanted to be a “sit-down comic.” He got lots of practice.

As a child, Tom struggled to overcome a stutter. As a teen, he was told that he “wasn’t college material.” In spite of all that, he went on to be a renown high school football player, and then to earn a Bachelor’s Degree from Yankton College and from Eden Seminary, and a Masters of Social Work from George Williams College. He worked for the YMCA, Magdala Foundation (a halfway house in St. Louis, Missouri), and served as President of the International Halfway House Association. Later, he owned a FastSigns franchise until he retired.

Tom’s stories from his early social work include de-escalating young gang activity, quitting a job in protest of a racist incident, and joining lunch counter sit-ins for desegregation in 1960. At an early age, Tom found a robust childhood friend group that stayed in touch throughout their lives. As an athlete in high school and college, Tom played football and track & field. He continued competing into his golden years winning bronze, silver, and gold medals in Senior Olympics Shot Put and Discus events.

Tom’s mother called him Timmy. His Dad called him Butch. Young friends called him Tommy. He was also known as Big Tom. And in the 1970’s, his CB handle was “Handsome Harry.” Especially in his later years, Tom often spoke about how grateful he was to be alive, how lucky he felt, how beautiful the trees are blowing in the wind, and how nice to see other people living their lives. He loved flying kites, petting dogs, eating peanut butter, listening to jazz music, writing stories, and walking in fresh snow.

Tom is predeceased by his beloved wife, Adeline Martha (Breisch) Christensen, who passed away on July 22, 2020 in St. Louis, Missouri. Ad was born to Florence (Mateer) and William Breisch in Newcastle, Nebraska, on June 1,1936. She was the eldest of two sisters, Lou Ann and Kay. They grew up in Breisch’s Store, the local general store with living quarters above. At Yankton College, Ad studied music and education. She was a concert pianist and an excellent organist for several churches. Claude Debussy was one of her favorite composers. Later, she earned a Masters in Child Psychology. Tom and Ad met at Yankton College. They married on August 24,1958.

One of Ad’s biggest passions was protecting and fostering the lives of young children. She served as a preschool and kindergarten teacher at The College School in Webster Groves, Missouri, and at Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School (MICDS). During the summers, when Ad and her daughters, Laura and Lisa, had time off, Tom would drive them to Newcastle to spend time with family at Breisch’s Store and up at the farm. Tom would have to drive back to St. Louis for work.

As Laura and Lisa matured, Tom and Ad spent more time together. They biked the Katy Trail along the Missouri River, often on a tandem bike. Tom in front and Ad behind. They enjoyed the Saint Louis Symphony at Powell Hall, concerts in the parks, farmers markets, and antiques hunting. They were there when Chuck Berry performed one of his last concerts at Blueberry Hill. They also travelled to Denmark to connect with Christensen relatives.

Ad loved exploring the world. She hiked mountains, dunked with Laura in freezing Lake Superior water, and listened to new music. She tried many new recipes, including holiday Turducken. Her granola was the best. She created new family traditions, such as the Christmas Pickle (we would need many more pages to tell about THAT!). Tom and Ad are both missed terribly.

They are survived by their beloved daughters, Lisa Christensen of Harlan, Iowa, and Laura Christensen (and son-in-law Gregory Scheckler) of Williamstown, Massachusetts, plus several nephews, and friends old and new. To those who knew them, it is obvious they both filled their “dash” as described in The Dash Poem by Linda Ellis . https://lindaellis.life/the-dash-poem-author

In honor of Tom and Ad, please consider donating to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) https://action.aclu.org/give/now

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Thomas Harry Christensen

October 25, 1934 — October 29, 2024

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