Mary Lou Christensen

Mary Lou Christensen, 88, of St. Paul, died unexpectedly on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, at Brookefield Park in St. Paul.

Funeral Services will be 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, at Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The Rev. John Doolittle will officiate. Burial will be at 12 noon in the Grand Island City Cemetery.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church.

Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family.

Mary Lou was born Dec. 19, 1934, the daughter of Peter and Matilda (Runge) Brunholtz, on a farm north of Cairo. She was baptized and confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church in Cairo. She attended country grade schools, and graduated Valedictorian of the class of 1952 of Cairo High School.

She was united in marriage to Donald L. Christensen on Dec. 29, 1955, also at Christ Lutheran Church in Cairo. Donald being employed with Northwestern Bell Telephone Company and the couple lived in Grand Island, Broken Bow and McCook, moving to St. Paul in 1959, where they raised their three children. Mary Lou also did in home daycare for the Foster, Rudolf, Swanson, Ludemann, Schacht, Mortimer, Osterman, Gleason, Leth and Cuckie families. Later in life she cleaned homes for the Shaughnessy, Cerney, Dvoracek, Merchant, Beberniss and Paul families. She also baked and decorated many wedding, birthday and graduation cakes for many families in Central Nebraska.

She was a longtime member of Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul, where she held many offices in the church and was a Sunday School Teacher; She was also a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader, Carl Mogensen American Legion Auxiliary Unit 119 of St. Paul, Platt-Duetsche Ladies Society in Grand Island, Telephone Pioneers of America and Family & Community Extension Club.

She is survived by her children and spouses, Pam and Russell Douglas of Mayetta, KS, Dr. Michael Christensen and Dr. Susan Christensen of Walton, and Jeff and Shauna Christensen of St. Paul; seven grandchildren, Joseph and Betsy Douglas, Chris and Courtney Douglas, Laura Douglas, Douglas Straub, Ted and Kelsey Straub, Mitch and Samantha Straub, and Valerie Christensen; and seven great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Everett, Chino, Malaki, Weston, Tyson and Maya.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald on April 21, 1999; great-grandson, Conrad Lee Douglas; infant sister, Betty Jane Brunholtz; and special friend, Dave Tuma.