Laura Edith Christensen

Laura E. Christensen, 92, of Central City died at the Central City Care Center on January 10, 2019.

Funeral services will be on Monday, January 14, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. at the Central City Heartland Evangelical Free Church, 3208 17th Ave. Pastors Zeke Pipher and Scott Johnson will officiate. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. at the Glenwood Cemetery northeast of Palmer.

Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, January 13, 2019, at the Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in Palmer. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Nebraska Christian Schools or Heartland Evangelical Free Church, both at Central City.  Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in Palmer is assisting the family.

Laura Edith Christensen, daughter of Martin and Georgia Christensen, was born May 30, 1926, at her parents’ farm home nine miles north of Palmer in Nance County. She attended elementary school at District #51 (Cottonwood School) and entered Palmer High School in the fall of 1939. She graduated in May 1943, as salutatorian of her class.

In October, the local postmaster offered Laura a job as clerk at the Palmer Post Office, which she began in November 1943, at the age of 17. She was appointed postmaster in March 1974, and served in that position until her retirement on December 29, 1982. Her 39 years in the post office were happy ones for her, very rewarding and satisfying, and the children were a special part of them. She dearly loved all the people and felt it was a privilege to serve them. In her own words, “Those were wonderful years.”

Although Laura missed seeing “her people” on a daily basis, she kept very busy in retirement, continuing to serve and volunteer in many capacities. In 1998, she received the Palmer Community “Good Neighbor Award.”  Also, in 2001 she was honored by the St. Paul Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America for Community Service. These honors were well deserved, as she truly had a “servant heart.”

Early in life, Laura realized her need for a personal relationship with the Lord and accepted Christ as her Savior. In keeping with her love for children, Laura was actively involved in the Sunny Hill Sunday School north of Palmer where she taught a Sunday School class for many years and greatly influenced the lives of many children.

In October 2001, she moved from Palmer to Westside Bader Villa in Central City. However, she remained in contact with her many friends at Palmer. In June 2016, she entered the Central City Care Center, where she received loving care until she was very peacefully gathered into the arms of Jesus, her Savior, on January 10, 2019.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Martin and Georgia Christensen; three brothers, Chris, Carl, and Albert Christensen; two sisters, Julia Riley and May Thede; and three brothers-in-law, Charles Riley, Walter Thede, and Richard (“Gene”) Sharman.

Laura will be greatly missed by her sister, Leona Sharman of Palmer; and sisters-in-law, Mary Christensen (Carl) of Moses Lake, Washington, and Jean Christensen (Albert) of St. Paul; as well as numerous nieces and nephews; and a host of friends