The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Christine was born and raised in Hawaii on the island of Kauai and passed away in Redmond Oregon on April 9, one day after her 105th birthday. Family and a few close friends celebrated her life on Saturday, April 7, and feel so blessed to have had her for so many years.

While living on the Island of Oahu, she met her "sailor boy" Jim, who was in the Navy and stationed on Ford Island, and in 1942 just 10 months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor they were married. In 1944 she left the Hawaiian Islands for the first time and moved to Minnesota to be with her husband's family. Being a Navy wife, they lived in many places until his retirement from the Navy in 1957, and made China Lake, California, their home.

Upon her husband's retirement from Michelson Lab in 1972 they moved to Sisters, where she made her home until moving into Regency Village of Redmond in 2016.

Christine had six children, three boys and three girls. She is survived by her daughters Jennie Henden (husband Tom) of Bakersfield, California; Sandie Williams (husband Cliff) of Gold Beach, Oregon; and Roxane Trask of Sisters; her son Clayton Mitchell of Palermo, California; her niece Mildred Carlstrom of Pearl City, Hawaii; 13 grandchildren; and numerous great-grand children.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; sons Mick and Jimmy; her mother; two brothers; and her sister.

Christine had many passions in her long life other than her family. She loved to crochet, and for many years made hats to give to the kindergartners when they performed at the Senior Meal Site lunch during the Christmas season; crocheted and donated hats to the NIC unit at the hospital while staying in Bakersfield; and lap robes and hats to local care facilities; including the Ronald McDonald House in Bend. She volunteered at the local Red Cross blood drives, making sure everyone got their juice and cookie when they were done, and was a regular at the weekly Senior Meal Site lunch serving "moo juice" (milk) and echoing "Chow Down" as soon as the prayer was done.

We've been told that no one says it quite like she did. Her optimism, humor and laugh were contagious, and she made the best fried rice. She will be remembered for all of these things and the many sayings she would come up with.

One can only imagine how many things you could see change in 105 years, cars, planes, phones, TV, computers, cell phones and travel into space just to name a few.

While we will miss her terribly, the blessing is that by knowing the Lord, she is living in heaven with her sailor boy and so many wonderful friends, and that we will see her again someday.

In Lieu of flowers, please make a donation to one of the following: The Ronald McDonald House in Bend, a local veterans group, or meals on wheels.

A memorial will be held on May 12 at 1:30 p.m. at Sisters Community Church, with a reception to follow.