Wally Christenson
Wallace Christenson of Buffalo and formerly of Chaska and Northfield, passed away Saturday, June 9, 2012 in Buffalo. Funeral Services will be 11:00 am Friday, June 15 at the Northfield United Methodist Church with burial at the Red Rose Cemetery north of Waterford. Visitation will also be Friday morning at the church’s sanctuary starting at 10:00 am.
Wallace Gene Christenson was born December 4, 1926 at Woodend Farm near Mound, Minnesota. Wally was the youngest of five children born to Lloyd and Irene (Farness) Christenson. He was baptized April 19, 1931 and confirmed September 1941 at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior. He grew up on farms in Hennepin and Carver counties where he found his life-long passion for: cows, horses and raising farm crops. As a child he enjoyed ice skating, downhill skiing, fishing, riding horses and singing. Wally always liked music and especially enjoyed cowboy, country, polka and everything from the 30’s & 40’s. When his family lived at Hazeltine Farm, he was an active member in the Carver County 4-H Program with his main interest being the Dairy Project. He showed purebred Holstein-Friesian cows at county fairs and earned many outstanding awards at the Minnesota State Fair. He graduated from Chaska High School in 1945 where he participated in football, basketball and baseball.
Wally attended the University of Minnesota. Thanks to his involvement in the school’s paper as a typist, he met follow student Roberta, the paper’s co-editor. Wallace and Roberta Frances Harkness were married June 8, 1949 at the Northfield United Methodist Church. Their first home was at Hazeltine Farm where he worked with is father. In 1951 they moved to Roberta’s family home outside of Northfield. In addition to farming he worked at the Northfield Farmers Elevator. Eleven years ago, he and Roberta moved to Buffalo to be near his son Lloyd’s horse operation. Because of his grandchildren and great grandchildren, he had a new favorite life passion: watching them grow, telling stories, teaching his many agronomy skills and encouraging them to pursue their passions
Wally Christenson is survived by his wife Roberta; children: Cynthia (Philip) Terpstra of Northfield LuJean Paulson of Northfield, Elizabeth Lund of Northfield, Lloyd (Melissa) Christenson of Buffalo and Jennifer (Christopher) Hoff of Woodbury; grandchildren: Scott (Jennifer) Paulson, Ryan (fiancée Molly) Paulson, Benjamin (Erin) Terpstra, William (Amy) Terpstra, Charles (Ashley) Terpstra, Jacob Christenson, Emma Hoff, Noah Christenson and Sam Hoff; great grandchildren: Peyton, Ava, Isabelle, Eli, Beau and Madilyn; sister: LuAnn Cavanagh of Florida, sister-in-law Mary Harkness; cousins; nieces; nephews and dear friends. Wally was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Donald and Marion “Toppy”,; sisters Margery Larson and Bonna Webber; sons-in-law George S. Paulson and Darwin Lund and grandson Christopher Lund.
Arrangements by the Bierman Funeral Home of Northfield.
