Obituaries

Joan M. “Joanie” Christensen, 90, passed away September 8th at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living of St. Charles.  A cherished mother, wonderful sister, daughter, aunt, and friend to all she met, she was an amazing person whose silly laugh and sometimes ribald sense of humor will be sorely missed now that she has gone home.

Joanie was born Joan Maxine Payne, a true coal miner’s daughter, on February 8th, 1936, in Welch, WV to Joe and Mabel Payne. Joe was a supervisor at a coal mine and Mabel was a homemaker. The youngest of five children, arriving after John, Verna, Mary and Stanley, Joanie was the homecoming queen and a 1954 graduate of Gary High School in nearby Gary WV.  She lived in Florida for a time after graduating, eventually moving to Minneapolis where she married Kenneth P. Christensen in 1964.  The couple had two children, Bob and Ann, and the family moved from Minnesota to Wisconsin, and eventually to St. Charles in 1979, thanks to Kenneth’s hard work for UPS.  Joanie was an accounts receivable clerk at the former Colson’s Department Store in St. Charles until 1987, then took a similar position at Richardson Electronics of La Fox, from which she retired in 2003.

A sports nut in general, Joanie loved golf and played in a league for many years. She was loath to miss a Bulls game, particularly during the Jordan era, but was an especially ardent Cubs fan who sometimes would have the game on TV in one room and on the radio in another.  If the game was too intense to watch, she would listen in the other room — a strategy she employed often during their 2016 World Series championship.

Joanie came to reside at Brighton Gardens in 2019, where she soon became a beloved member of the community and formed warm relationships with fellow residents and staff.  She was a regular participant in popular activities such as bingo and card games and performed frequent and varied volunteer work.

One of her favorite poems was “Success” by Martin Buxbaum, which reflects on the true measure of a life.  Its closing thought — that one’s real success is reflected in the way one’s children speak of them — was especially meaningful to her.

Survivors include her children, Bob (Penny) Christensen, and Ann (Lane) Winter; her former husband, Kenneth Christensen; sister Verna Barrett; nieces Ann Barrett Newland and Susan Burns; nephews Alan Lopez and Phillip Lopez as well as many other loved family members.  She was preceded in death by her parents Joe and Mabel, brothers John Payne and Stanley Payne, and sister Mary Lopez. In accordance with her wishes, she was cremated and no services were held.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Feeding America.

Joanie was a sparkling light while here on earth, and now in Heaven. Good night, Momma, we love you.

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