Mildred I. Christensen (Millie) passed away peacefully early Christmas morning at Garden Hills Assisted Living Care Center in Spearfish, SD. Millie's faith and love for Jesus was evident in everything she said and did and the timing of her passing seems appropriate. Every Christmas, Millie would write a Christmas poem which would always highlight loving one another as Christ does, being forever grateful, and helping those who needed it most.


Millie was a humble, hardworking woman, with strong Christian values that guided her life choices. Millie chose to be kind, generous, and loving. Her sense of humor brought laughter and joy to those around her. Of all the things she was grateful for, she cherished her family the most and was the type of mom, grandmother, and great grandmother that inspired generations. She was a quiet leader. Not someone to tell you how to live, but rather modeled a genuine example everyday.

Millie was born to Karl and Christine Heimbuch on their family farm near Lowry, South Dakota on March 28, 1924. Her family eventually settled in Mobridge where she graduated from high school. While in Mobridge she met her husband Marvin Christensen. Millie and Marvin were married in Palacios, Texas, on January 20, 1944, shortly before Marvin was deployed for Europe during WWII. Millie and Marvin made their home in Whitewood, South Dakota and had six children.

Millie and Marv owned a grocery store in Whitewood that included a coffee bar where they served some of Millie's delicious pies and cakes. Later the store became a Laundromat and was still in operation when Millie became a federal employee at the Veteran's Hospital in Fort Meade, SD. Being bright and ambitious helped her be promoted from a ward secretary, to laundry supervisor, to Chief of Building Management. During her employment, she received many awards for her job performance as Chief. Two years after the death of her husband and following her retirement from the VA, Millie moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado, to be a house "mom" for the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at Colorado State University. Millie was a people person and during her fifteen years had hundreds of college sorority sisters fondly call her "mom." Finally retiring at 75, Millie made her home in Spearfish where she enjoyed spending time with family and playing bridge and golf with friends. She was a devoted and proud member of the Whitewood Presbyterian Church and enjoyed volunteering at the Spearfish Senior Center.

Her infant daughter Mary, her husband Marv, her son Dane, an infant great granddaughter Esther Luther and several brothers and sisters preceded Millie in death. She is survived by her three sons: Craig (Kaye) of Denver, CO; Steve (Mary) of Spearfish, SD; Tod of Sedona, AZ; and her daughter Marjo (Pat) of Spearfish as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, two brothers and many nieces and nephews.

Matthew 25:23 best sums up Millie's life: "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

There will be a visitation and sharing of memories at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish on Saturday, December 26 from 5 PM - 7PM. A memorial has been established for Hospice of the Northern Hills. Interment is at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.