Steven Hans Christensen, age 79, of Lebanon died at home Friday, January 25, after a lengthy fight with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Steven was born in Collbran, Colorado, to Hans William and Shirley Hope (Phillips) Christensen. He moved with his family at an early age to Southern California.

At 17 he joined the U.S. Coast Guard, he served for two years. He later joined the U.S. Army and served for five years. He was in Germany when the Korean War broke out and they were on 24-hour notice to be ready to head to Korea. Fortunately the call never came.
Steven Christensen

Steven married Nancy Jean Robken on July 13, 1963. In 1970 they moved with their two children to Albany, Oregon. Steven was an auto mechanic for 50 years, he owned his own shop in Southern California and worked the last 20 years for Nissen Ford in Albany retiring in 1993. His beloved Nancy died in 1992.

Steven married Edna Clark in November 2000 in Utah, where they lived for two years before returning to Oregon, living in Lebanon. He was a multi-talented man: mechanic, metal worker, cabinet builder, furniture refinisher, ham radio operator, voracious reader, gardener, photographer, and always interested in history, especially in doing genealogy. He also enjoyed restoring player pianos and working on computers and was always willing to help others.

He is survived by his wife, Edna; son, John Christensen (Karen), of Meridian, ID; daughter, Catherine Catterson (James), of Albany; five grandchildren: Micheal and Carmen Kelly and Skylar, Crystal, and Ashley Christensen; sisters, Sofia McKay and Virginia Watson; and brother, John Roper. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Viewing will be 4:00-6:00 pm Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lebanon. Funeral service will be 1:00 pm Saturday Feb. 2 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Albany. Final burial will be at Twin Oaks Memorial Gardens on Riverside Drive in Albany. Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements.