Julie Christensen
Julie Ann Christensen, 56, of Lansing died Saturday, November 14, 2020 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon surrounded by her loving family. Memorial services will be held Friday, November 20 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be held at St. Mary’s Hanover Cemetery in rural Waukon.
In consideration of concerns regarding COVID-19, social distancing and wearing of masks is encouraged. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is in charge of arrangements. Please join the family at 11 a.m. on the Martin-Grau Funeral Home Facebook page for live streaming of the service. In lieu of flowers and gifts, the family asks that you make donations to Allamakee County 4-H, St. Patrick Catholic Church, the Lymphoma Leukemia Society, or UIHC Holden’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Julie Ann Marie McCormick Christensen was born in Waukon, the beloved daughter of Jim and Theresa (Schwartzhoff) McCormick, April 20, 1964. She grew up on the family farm doing chores and milking cows. While she knew the ethic of hard work, she considered it a treat being the one chosen to go to the house, start breakfast, and get out of the end of chores.
She often talked of her large extended family of 65 first cousins, where there were many sleepovers, adventures and memories made. Julie was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hanover, rural Waukon, and was a proud founding member of the short-lived but well-known Hanover Choir. She always considered St. Mary’s her home church. If you asked Julie where she grew up, she would say, “I’m a Hanover girl”.
Julie graduated from Waukon High School in 1982 and attended Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. During her school years, she worked at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon as a switchboard operator. She made many good friends at Kirkwood and really enjoyed her time there. After graduating with a medical assistant degree, she worked in the front office at Waukon Medical Associates for many years.
September 1, 1984, she married Tom Christensen, the love of her life, at St. Mary’s in Hanover. In 1988, she and Tom bought a farm near Churchtown, where she was able to be home with the kids. She also worked alongside Tom helping on the farm with hog chores; however, loading pigs was her least favorite job. In 1994, Julie worked for a short time at Scandinavian Mutual Insurance. She then worked for Waukon State Bank for several years, where she made lifelong friends.
In her career, she also enjoyed being a secretary at Waukon High School and was able to show her compassion and love to many students. Wherever she would go, she would proudly walk up to former students and say, “I don’t know if you remember me, but I was your high school secretary,” and they always did. She made an impact wherever she was.
Julie’s last place of employment was with Allamakee County Extension and Outreach as an office coordinator. She very much enjoyed working with the 4-H youth and farmers during training programs. She also helped with Field Forestry Day and the VITA tax program. During her 14 years at the Extension Office, she built impactful and meaningful relationships with coworkers and community members. Throughout her career she was able to connect with people and put love into every job at hand.
Julie was very active at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, where she served for many years as a co-director of the Women’s Board. She was also very active in the leadership and legacy of the Christian Experience Weekend (CEW) and renewal meetings. She was not afraid to share her faith and she boldly ministered and prayed with many people; she was a powerful prayer warrior. Julie was a Martha, as she loved to serve people. She was always the first one to volunteer to help with graduation parties, weddings, and bridal and baby showers. She was always behind the scenes working diligently to make sure everything went smoothly.
Julie loved and enjoyed welcoming people into her home and hosted many large family holiday celebrations. It was not unusual to have 10 to 15 people staying for a day or two and she loved every minute of it. Her values were God first, her husband second, children and grandchildren third, and she still had enough love for everyone else.
April 27, 2016 began what Julie considered her retirement career with the birth of her granddaughter, Sawyer Kay Christensen, followed by her brother, Kade Thomas Christensen August 24, 2017. March 5, 2020, Cohen Thomas Schnieders was born just in time so Julie could hold him before her stem cell transplant. The kids, who she called her “little sweets” or “little sun shines,” completed her dream of being a grandma. Out of all the titles she had, Grandma was the one she was most proud of.
November 27, 2019, Julie was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. This brought 135 days in the hospital at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics (UIHC). The wonderful staff at UIHC also became part of her family as she loved them, and they loved her. She went through all of the treatments, scans, pokes, prods, and exams with the grace and dignity that she had shown her entire life. She knew from the beginning that it was out of her control. The doctors told her that they will do everything exactly right, but it will be up to God as to what the outcome will be. She lived her life fully relying on God and this is an example for us all.
Julie is survived by her husband of 36 years, Tom, of Lansing; her children: Leanne (Justin) Schnieders of Cedar Falls, Ryan (Brianna) Christensen of Lansing and Abby (Wyatt) Blake of Lansing; and her beloved grandchildren: Cohen Schnieders and Sawyer and Kade Christensen. Additional survivors include her father, Jim (Karen) McCormick of Waukon; her siblings: Kevin McCormick of Waukon and Carrie Beneke and Mary (Joe) Kobliska, both of Waverly; her in-laws: Jim and Kay Christensen and Linda Kious, all of Lansing, and Andy Christensen of La Vista, NE; along with many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Theresa McCormick; her sister, Lora Frana; and her brothers-in-law, Ron Frana and Bob Christensen.
Online condolences may be left at www.martinfunerals.com.
