Iris Christensen

Iris Christensen left us in the early afternoon of June 9, 2020 due to congestive heart failure.  

She was born on February 7, 1932 to Jim & Effie St. Onge in Viscount, Saskatchewan, Canada. She was raised on a farm as a young child and moved to Ocean Falls, British Columbia, Canada when she was 8 years old. As a teenager she met the love of her life at a Valentine’s Day dance — Darl Christensen. They married in 1951 and started their life together. They had four children — Cary, Darcy, Vali and Cindy.

Moving a few more times they eventually landed in Eureka, where a Darl was offered a job at the pulp mill, and this has been home ever since. Iris never worked out of the home, but we’re pretty sure her name is in the dictionary under the definition of a “homemaker.” She was an excellent cook and beautiful seamstress. She loved music, and played the organ for the residents at Silvercrest for over 25 years. She also played the piano and violin.

In her a Golden Years — or the Rusty Years, as she called them — she started knitting hats for the newborns at St. Joseph Hospital. At last count she had donated over 2,500 hats. She was still knitting hats just before she passed. She had a quick wit and an infectious sense of humor.  

Darl passed away in 2014 and eventually Iris moved to Alder Bay Assisted Living. There she made many new friends and cherished those friendships. She was known to write limericks about her friends and give them to each of them. She enjoyed playing cards twice a week and doing the arts and crafts. She would also sneak up to the day room in the early evening when everyone had gone to their rooms and play the piano.  

Iris is survived by children Cary (Lynda) Christensen, their children Zac (Sarojni) Christensen and Tayler Christensen, Darcy Christensen, his children Julien (Rachel) Christensen and Lienne (Chris) Knoll, Vali (Joe) Russell and their daughter Whitney (Shawn) Pulver and Cindy Christensen; great-grandchildren Jackson and Pria Christensen, Josiah and Nathan Christensn, Conner Knoll (just born in May) and Larson Pulver.  

She will be missed beyond words, but we know she is with the love of her life once again. We love you! The family would like to thank Hospice for their caring and compassion in her final days and their support for the family. Donations can be made to the American Heart Association in her memory.