Willis A. Christenson, 92, passed away Sept. 1, 2023, at Devine Home in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.
Willis was born the first of six children to Christian and Martha (Brenizer) Christenson on Jan. 2, 1931. He was the first boy born in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, hospital.
He attended Bass Lake and Orr elementary schools and graduated from Luck High School in 1950. He worked as a hired hand before serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War where he spent a lot of his time serving on an aircraft flight deck.
Following his time in the Army, he attended trade school in Fargo, North Dakota, to become a diesel mechanic. He was united in marriage to Mary Berglund in 1958. Rhoda and Mark were added to the family in 1966 and 1968, respectively.
Willis was a faithful servant of God through his leadership as pastor of churches in Cambridge, Minnesota, Merrill and Eureka Center, Wisconsin. He enjoyed deer hunting with his son and nephews. He enjoyed special snowmobiling trips in the West Yellowstone area with his brother, Maurice. He was a talented handyman, a small plane pilot, loved fishing and camping when his kids were younger and had a love for Mexico, building churches in the summer for several years. He was a musician at heart and loved playing gospel bluegrass. He loved to travel on road trips, planes, trains and automobiles.
He leaves behind his loving wife of 65 years, Mary; daughter, Rhoda (Abdi); son, Mark; brother, Maurice; sisters, Shirley and Rose; and nieces, nephews and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Christian and Martha; sisters, Ione Muehlhauser and Fern Darmody; brothers-in-law, John Patrick Darmody and Bruce Muehlhauser; and niece, Salina Muehlhauser.
The Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, Sept. 9, at 11 a.m. at Apple River Community Church with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Military honors will be rendered outside of the church following the service by the Amery American Legion and the Wisconsin State Military Honors Program.
Please join the family in the church fellowship hall for lunch following the service.
We know Willie thanks you for coming to celebrate his life and he thanks you for playing an important role in it. He wanted you to know that he loves you all! I Corinthians 13:12, now Willie is seeing his Lord and Savior, face to face.
The Kolstad Family Funeral Home of Centuria has been entrusted with arrangements.
