Steven Christensen

STEVEN J. CHRISTENSEN was born on January 9, 1956 in Luverne, Minnesota to Dean and Sylvia Elizabeth (Johnson) Christensen. He attended elementary and middle school in Pipestone. He graduated from Maplewood Academy in Hutchinson, Minnesota in 1974. He then went on to Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment during his time there was meeting and falling in love with a Denver girl named Lydia.

On July 2nd, 1978, Steve married Lydia Serrano, the love of his life, at the Denver Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church. Eight days later on July 10, they moved to Pipestone. A year after that they made their home on the Lawrence and Nellie Christensen Farm. On December 9, 1983, their home was blessed with the birth of a son, Seth Thomas Christensen. Five years later on April 30 of 1988, their daughter Melanie Renae Christensen was born. Theirs was a happy home filled with much joy and love.

Steve has always had an independent entrepreneurial spirit. While at Union College he found various ways to fund his education. He bought an old bindery on auction and with the help of some friends tore it down and sold the wood from the street corner for a great profit. He also bought a roofing business from a friend and after a 10 minute tutorial he was in the roofing business. He later sold that business for a profit. In 1999 Steve was instrumental with the building project for the Sioux Falls Seventh-day Adventist Church. Along with the contributions of time, talent, and love from many others, the church was completed in 2000.

Steve was a Deacon, head Deacon, and Elder in the church. He was a true friend of God and loved telling others about his Friend and Father’s loving Character.

Family was his life. He worked hard to provide for the ones he loved so dearly. He was a builder, a farmer, a thinker, a pilot. His passion was for flying. Every passing plane would find him shielding his eyes from the sun, craning to take a look. Whenever he returned from a flight he had a spark in his eyes and a smile on his face. He loved to share the joy of flight with others and gave countless rides; explaining as he went the reasons for this action and why he pushes that button, and what this gauge over here means. His understanding of flight and his airplane was such that it was almost an extension of his own body.

He will be greatly missed by the many people who have been touched by his kind, gentle, honest, patient, often mischievous, loving character.

He is survived by his wife Lydia Christensen of Pipestone, MN; his children, Seth (Brisa) Christensen of Pipestone, his granddaughter Aria Lizette Christensen and his daughter Melanie Christensen of Chattanooga, TN; his mother Sylvia (Bob) Roderick of Pipestone; his brothers, Larry (Barbara) Christensen and Ken (Tammy) Christensen of Pipestone; his sister, Kathy Erickson of Cleveland, North Dakota; his mother-in-law and father-in-law Vickie and Tony Serrano of Walla Walla, WA; his sisters-in-law Bobbie (Tom) Wagner and Emily Serrano of Walla Walla; his brother-in-law Arthur (Louise) Serrano of Walla Walla, and all of their families.

He is preceded in death by his sister Linda Lee Christensen and father W. Dean Christensen.

Steve will be missed very, very much.