Obit: Christensen, John (1864 - 1938)

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Surnames: Christensen, Hansen, Nielsen

----Sources: Owen Enterprise (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 11/24/1938

Christensen, John (JAN 1864 - 16 NOV 1938)

(This obituary appeared on the left column of the newspaper and when filmed, some of the leftmost letters were cut off)

John Christensen passed away at the Luther Hospital, Eau Claire, Wednesday noon, Nov. 16, 1938, following an illness of two weeks.

Mr. Christensen was born Jan. ?, 1864 in Denmark and came to the United States in the year 1890, locating at Hampton, Ia, where he was employed as a buttermaker. He came to Withee (Clark Co., Wis.) in 1897, where he was engaged in the hardware business until 1902, at which time he sold his business and visited in the west and in Denmark for several months. Returning to Withee that fall he purchased the Charles Funk general store, which he operated until 1924. In the year 1921 he purchased the Withee Grain Elevator and Warehouse which business he still operated.

In 1901 he was a petitioner to incorporate the village of Withee and was elected as a trustee on the Village Board the same year. He served continuously as trustee until 1929, when he was elected village president, which office he held for a term of four years. From 1904 to 1937, a period of 33 years, he was treasurer of the Withee Public School. He was elected director of the State Bank of Withee in 1925 and became its president in 1932, holding this office until the time of his death.

On Sept. 19, 1910, eh was united in marriage to Clara Hansen of Thorp, who with one son, James, survive him. His is also survived by a sister, Mrs. Kristiane Nielsen of Denmark, and two nieces, Mrs. Marius ?tsen of Withee and Mrs. Karen ?ork of Solvang, Calif.

Funeral services were held from the Danish Lutheran Church, of which he was a member, Saturday afternoon, Nov. 19, with burial at the church cemetery. Rev. Jens A. Holst and Rev. J.L.J. Dixon, a lifelong friend of the deceased, officiating. Acting as pallbearers were F.W. Sample, A.C. ?enburg, Charles Buss, C.H. Beilfuss, Herman Bartholomay, and A. R. ?rtin.

Those in charge of the many beautiful floral offerings were Lorraine? Bert, Natalie Scherf, Viola Thorson, Kathryn, Hansen, Sylvia Calbaum and ?na Nimber.

His character, which was beyond reproach, together with a genial and sympathetic personality, won for him a host of sincere friends. He was trustworthy and dependable in all his dealings and his intimate associates never knew a more loyal and generous friends.

His passing creates a loss that is not only felt by his immediate family, but by the community as well.

Relatives and friends from out of town who attended the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lorentzen and son of Minneapolis; Mr. and Mrs. ? Freitag and Richard of Milwaukee; Magnus C. Hansen of Peru, Ind.; ? Hansen of Madison; Mrs. Julius Hansen of Racine; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Soli, Julius Rasmussen, John ? and Phillip Mattes of Thorp; Mr. and Mrs. O.C. Anderson of Chippewa Falls; Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Tufts of Marshfield; Mr. and Mrs. Solon ?, Miss Sally Peterson and C.B. ? of Stanley.