Jean Charlotte Christianson

Jean Bohlig Christianson, 85 of Devils Lake, ND died on Saturday, March 8, 2008 in the Angel Wing at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd, New Rockford, ND. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake, ND. Fr. Dale Kinzler will celebrate the Mass and burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Lake Region Honor Guard, Camp Grafton. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 pm. Visitation on Wednesday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral Mass. Serving as Casket Bearers for Jean will be her grandchildren. Music will be provided by Donovan Foughty and JoDee Lagein. Jean Charlotte Bohlig was born November 22, 1922, to John E. and Charlotte (Sherwin) Bohlig in Mandan, ND. Her father was a telegrapher with the Northern Pacific Railway and they lived in many North Dakota towns; Solen, Golva, Stanton, Leeds, Oberon and Minnewaukan. Her mother taught school and was North Dakota’s first female coach of a boys basketball team in Golva. Jean rode the train “galloping goose” from Oberon to Leeds daily to graduate from high school with her Leeds classmates. She attended St. Benedict’s College at Collegeville, Minnesota for one year—arriving by train with the conductor telling her the train would slow down at St. Joseph and he would nudge her when it was time to jump. Jean returned to North Dakota and went through nurses training at St. Alexius Hospital, under the Benedictine Sisters in Bismarck where she graduated in 1944, and took the first computerized licensing test. She worked private duty as a Registered Nurse for many families and in 1945 she was sworn in as an Ensign in the Navy Nurse Reserve Corps, and was stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois. The work was both day and night, and it was hard with so many critically wounded men. She said “It was a wonderful day when World War II ended.” She was discharged from active duty in August 1946, but stayed in the Reserve Corps. Jean worked at North Dakota State University as a college nurse and also tended the injured during football games. She then went to work for the Public Health Service at Fort Totten and she provided nursing care from birth of newborns, surgery and elderly. She worked closely with Dr. Glen Toomey and Dr. James Mahoney, of Devils Lake, who did surgery and delivered babies at Fort Totten. She met and later married Melvin M. Christianson on November 13, 1948 in Minnewaukan, ND. They lived in Grand Forks while Melvin finished law school, and she worked at Deaconess Hospital. They moved to Minnewaukan where Melvin practiced law and Jean became Benson County Public Health Nurse in 1952. In 1963, Jean and Melvin moved their family of five children to Devils Lake. Melvin continued practicing law with partner Francis E. Foughty until they closed their law office in 2001. In 1964, their sixth child was born. Jean returned to nursing and worked as registered staff nurse in the obstetrics department at Mercy Hospital in Devils Lake. After 22 years, she retired in 1987, thinking it was time for a long rest. However, in 1990, she returned to nursing—this time at the Good Samaritan Home in Devils Lake caring for the elderly. Jean also served as Water Safety Chairman for Benson County for 15 years and for Ramsey County for 21 years, keeping up her certification by teaching swimming classes each year. Jean was a leader of Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H and Camp Fire Girls for a total of 12 years. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Christian Mothers, and Altar Society for which she served two years as President. She was a member of the American Legion for 62 years and so far she is the only woman to serve as Post Commander of the Tim Running Post #24 of Devils Lake. She never missed the annual “Bull Sessions” in Devils Lake. She and Melvin were often seen marching in their original naval uniforms in parades. In addition to her work life, she was a busy wife and mother. She and her husband raised 6 children. Jean was an avid bridge player. She loved to plant flowers, sit on her patio, and watch the birds feed in her back yard. She also was an excellent seamstress, doing all sorts of hand work (her girls have Barbie doll wardrobes that she knit). She was well-known for a cookie jar full of her chocolate chip cookies for the neighborhood. She was also an excellent swimmer. In the summer, she swam laps every day, up until she broke her hip in September, 2006. Jean liked nothing better than attending her children’s events, where she was often the loudest fan. In recent years she was still wearing the same old red wool plaid jacket to her grandson’s football games. She enjoyed collecting antiques. She drove to area auctions and snooped in every box ahead of the bidding. Her youngest daughter, Gail, was a favorite among the bidders. The joy of following her grandchildren kept her young. She was known for shopping year round for all 13 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. She lived in her family home until 18 months ago and recently lived in the Angel Wing for Alzheimer’s patients where she received what she spent her life giving out—Tender Loving Care. Jean is survived by three sons, John Christianson, Paul Christianson, both Devils Lake, Neil (LeAnn) Christianson, Billings, Montana, and three daughters, Ann (John) Mahoney, Center, ND, Mary (Doug) Berg and Gail (Bill) Halgren all of Devils Lake, ND. Grandchildren: Chad Christianson, Kendal, Katelyn, Abrienna Christianson, Justin Spoor, James Christianson, Jill Keegan, Carly, Allie, Johnny and Jackie Mahoney, Tricia and Jason Berg. Eight Great Grandchildren and brother, John (Valerie) Bohlig, Minot, ND She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Christianson on December 4, 2002 and sister, Jane Pittington. The family requests memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association of North Dakota.