Robert Christensen, age 85, of Rapid City, SD and formerly of Yankton, SD, passed away of an apparent heart attack Friday, May 27, 2011 at the University Hospital Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN. Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 PM, Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Yankton, with Rev. Dan Smith officiating. Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Yankton, with military graveside rites by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard and the SDARNG, Sioux Falls. Visitations will be one hour prior to the service at the church. The Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton is in charge of arrangements.
Robert was born to Fred and Carrie (Ackerman) Christensen at home in rural Utica, SD. After graduating from the 8th grade and working various jobs during the Great Depression, he joined the US Navy (1943 - 1946) and served on the destroyer, USS Stack, in the Pacific theater during WWII.
Robert married Margaret Ann Dixon (rural Wakonda, SD) at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Wakonda on August 16, 1948. He and Margaret raised six children.
Robert had several careers before fully retiring at the age of 81. He worked over 20 years for the Cimpl family as a butcher in their Tabor, SD grocery store and as a plant manager in their meat packing plant in Yankton. He then managed the Tavern Bar in east Yankton for several years before returning to the meat butchering business as a butcher for the SD Human Services Center in Yankton where he worked for 15 years until retiring. Retirement did not last long for Bob who kept busy by starting a small engine repair business and also working as a Pinkerton guard for Dale Electronics in Yankton. He stayed active in both of these endeavors for approximately 15 years, ultimately "fully" retiring in 2007.
Robert was especially proud of his WWII military service. He loved his country and the freedoms and values it represented. He was active in veteran associations for many years. A special time for Robert was returning to Pearl Harbor in 2009 with his sons, Kevin and Dale, to visit various WWII memorials and sites. During this trip, he received special recognition as a WWII veteran. He shared many stories and received numerous personal thanks for his service from other visitors at these memorials. An especially poignant moment in this trip was his visit on board the current day US Navy destroyer, USS Chung-Hoon. Upon boarding, he was announced to all personnel as a WWII veteran, met by the ship's captain who presented him a ship's coin, and taken on a personal tour of the ship.
Survivors include sisters, Betty Wawrzyniakowski (Jerry), Pearl, sons Luverne, Keith (Tracy), Dale (Mary), Kevin, Doug (Carol) and daughter Kathleen Anderson (Mike); grandchildren Rob Christensen (Stephanie), Tara Boysen (Mark) Jon Paul Christensen, Jared Christensen, Jana Christensen, Shellie Dillmon, Jake Anderson and six great-grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by Margaret, his wife of 60 years, his parents, brothers, Henry and Roy, and sisters, Florence and Ellen.
