Gayle Christensen

Gayle E. Christensen, 91, of Fullerton, Nebraska, formerly of Climbing Hill, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at Edgewood Vista Memory Care Home in Columbus, Nebraska.

Graveside services were held at Westfork Township Cemetery in Climbing Hill, Iowa at 11:30 a.m.  on Monday, December 5, with lunch following at the United Methodist Church in Moville, Iowa.

Gayle was born in rural Woodbury County, Iowa to Henry and Cecil (Smith) Christensen on February 14, 1925.  He graduated from high school in 1941 and helped his father working on a 400-acre grain and stock farm.

He enlisted in the U. S. Army in January, 1946.  During his military service, he specialized as an automotive mechanic for 9 months in Linz, Austria.  He was honorably discharged in February, 1947.

Gayle married Carol Morrison on August 14, 1948.  They lived most of their married life in the house that his father had built.  He continued to operate the family farm after his father’s death in 1954.  He was also a bus driver for Woodbury Central School.

Gayle and Carol spent many winters in Paradise Park, McAllen, Texas, where they continued to enjoy playing golf and dancing.  Other hobbies included bowling and playing cards.

He was a member of American Legion Post 492, Hornick, Iowa. He also served on the Western Iowa Telephone Board for many years.

Gayle is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Craig and Mary Christensen of Fullerton, NE; five grandchildren: Angela (Jeremy) Fischer, Hanna (Adam) Rasmussen, and Scott (Katie Reisdorff), all from Lincoln, NE; Megan Christensen of Springfield, MO; and Justin Christensen (special friend Joelle Aduddell) of Climbing Hill, IA; eight great-grandchildren; and one sister-in-law, Opal Christensen of Sherrill, IA.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Carol; two sons, Curt and Brad; his brother, Paul Christensen; his sister and brother-in-law, Eileen and Forrest Kugler; and a brother, Chester, in infancy.