LAUREL — Mildred E. Christensen, 92, Laurel, died Dec. 29, 2024, at the Josie Harper Hospice House, Omaha. Funeral services were Jan. 2 at the United Lutheran Church, Laurel, with Rev. Tom Tuura officiating, and were also live streamed at https://www. laurelulc.org/live-stream Burial was at the Laurel Cemetery. Pallbearers were her grandsons, Chris Merkel, Matt Christensen, Dave Merkel, Luke Christensen, Kyle Christensen, Carter Christensen and Dane Christensen. Honorary pallbearers were her granddaughters, Amy Christensen, Gina Roth, Laura Christensen, Vanessa Petersen, Amber Christensen and Erin Wilken. Visitation was Thursday morning.

Arrangements were under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Laurel.

Mildred Elaine Christensen was born in Newcastle Jan. 22, 1932, to Burton Mattias and Marguerite Minnie L. (McClary) Hartman. She attended school in Newcastle and graduated in 1949. She began teaching in country schools near Newcastle. She attended Wayne State College. She taught many years in Newcastle and Laurel, and upon retirement continued substitute teaching. Summers were busy with county fairs, 4-H, gardening and canning, cooking and family vacations.

Mildred married Carl Andrew Christensen June 1, 1954, at the First Congregational Church, Newcastle. They lived on a farm south of Laurel, where they raised five children, Dennis, Diana, Mark, Curt and Nancy.

Mildred and Carl enjoyed entertaining, playing cards with the neighbors, fishing trips to Minnesota, wintering in Rockport, Texas, and traveling. Their grandchildren filled their lives with so much love and joy, and they eagerly attended every grandchild’s concert, ballgame, musical, horse show and birthday party.

Over the years, Mildred loved the art of quilting and graciously gifted these quilts to children and grandchildren. She enjoyed hosting fancy tea parties for her friends and neighbors. Mildred was heavily involved with her church in a variety of groups and fully enjoyed her bridge and coffee clubs.

She held these things most near and dear – her faith, her family and her friends, but especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She shared her words of wisdom and endless prayers for her loved ones and we are forever grateful to have been in her life.

Mildred is survived by her three sons, Dennis and Lisa Christensen, Mark and Carrie Christensen, and Curt and June Christensen; daughters, Diana and Darold Merkel, and Nancy and Rob Flint; 13 grandchildren, Amy Christensen, Matt (Mindy) Christensen, Chris (Kami) Merkel, Dave (Emily) Merkel, Gina (Jordan) Roth, Luke (Kristen) Christensen, Kyle (Megan) Christensen, Laura Christensen, Vanessa (Dan) Petersen, Carter Christensen, Dane Christensen, Amber Christensen and Erin Wilken; 18 great-grandchildren; a brother, Derwin Hartman; brother- in-law, Russ Breitkreutz; sisters-in-law, Margot (Harvey) Sorensen, Mary Ann Christensen and Joan Hartman.

Mildred was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Carl Christensen, July 9, 2005; brothers, Galen Hartman and Fay Hartman; and sisters, Donna Skerritt, Shirley Hamer and Sharon Breitkreutz.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the United Lutheran Church, Laurel, and to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.