George Fenton Christianson

George Christianson, the stubborn Swede from Independence, Missouri left us on Oct 10, 2017. Beginning life as an Army Brat he ultimately was raised in Long Branch, NJ. He resolutely adopted Missoura as his home state and sent deep roots into its soil. Known for and as many things, he embraced who he was. A mustard hoarder, a prowler, a phantom, a stubborn Swede, an impatient German and a survivor of stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Well, not so much on the last one. But pretty dang close. 23 months of chemo and Rick Simpson Oil allowed much more time for us to torment him by invading his home and moving his things.
George carried on a time honored Christianson tradition of being frugal by upgrading nothing in his house after 1984. After that, all items in his house were fixed with a clever combination of wax, chewing gum, and some chalk.
George proudly watched his backyard neighbor's yard disintegrate from floods year after glorious year because the 1963 owners refused to follow his lead and build a creek-wall of railroad ties like he had. His rock wall was also a monument to ‘I told you so’ by directing floods directly into his neighbor's yard leaving his yard cushy and secure.
George liked his cars, sometime just parking them in his driveway and other times driving them. He once had a beautiful 1971 Corvette Stingray that he sweetly smashed into the front of another, stupider, car when he spun out in the rain. That car earned itself a 20 year garage retreat to think about what it had done. And in another rainy and wet and somewhat mundane episode, George spun out during a nasty Missouri downpour while pulling onto Blue Ridge Cutoff from 31st Street, causing he and two of his young children to launch into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve resonance with screams but ending with him quietly and calmly acknowledging that the car was facing the direction they come from by saying, “I think we’ll go back this way.”
George loved visitors but not half as much as he liked seeing them squirm when they found out that the hamburger patties being served were the product of a wonderful Wild Woodies sale back in 1972.
George will be missed but his spirit will live on in the people that knew and loved him. His mother and father, Sergie and Lloyd Christianson, and his love, Charlene Bush left before him.  Still hanging on are his three children, Carole Christianson, Chris (Jenn) Christianson and Katherine (Rodney) Boyce.  Also, his siblings Charles (Nancy) Christianson, Lloyd (Elaine) Christianson and Sergie Ann (Bob) Conklin.  Grandchildren Lauren, Allyssa, Christopher, Imogen and Sophia.  He loved his nieces but his nephew was especially dear to his heart. Charlene’s daughter, Bonnie (Mike) Milligan was loved by him too.

Once, we’re done traveling with his cremains he will be interred at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Hiawatha, KS, near both sets of grandparents. Memorial visitation will be 10-12:00 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Amos Family Funeral Home.

His favorite charity was the USS Slater, DEHM PO BOX 1926, Albany, NY 12201, if anyone is inclined to donate in his name.