William E. Christiansen

MASON CITY:  William Bill Earl Christiansen, 78, of Mason City, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Thursday, April 24, 2008 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit.  His wish was to be cremated.  Memorial Services will be held 2:00 PM Wednesday (April 30, 2008) at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. with the Rev. John Stevens officiating.  A gathering of friends and family will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.  Military Honors will be performed after the service by the Mason City Veterans Memorial Association.  Inurnment will be held at a later date in Memorial Park Cemetery.  
 
William Bill was born February 17, 1930 to William Harold and Pearl Sarah (Lester) Christiansen in Mason City.  He attended most of his education in Mason City and graduated at Armijo High School in Fairfield, CA.  William joined the United States Coast Guard and served aboard the Wachusett for 2 ½ years.  He then went on to work for the United States Post Office for 35 years as window clerk in Fairfield, CA.  He met and married Shirley Marcele (Stevens) Christiansen on February 17, 1957.  The couple resided in Fairfield for twenty years until they returned to Iowa in 1977. 
 
William is survived by his wife Shirley; his son Richard and two daughters:  Kathryn  Loux and Henry Payne and Vicki and Robert Eggers, all of Mason City;  twelve grandchildren:  Sonjia Christiansen, Sarah Cimmino, Suzanne and Cheriff Awad, David and Jason Gailey, Chayna, and Daniel, all of California, Skylar Christiansen of Des Moines, Jennifer Nixon, Melissa Dunham, Lacey Loux, Megan and Ben Jurisch, all of Mason City;  twelve great grandchildren:  Sierra, Billie Michael, Benjamin, Dina, Jackie, Daniel, Deshawn, Marino, Dezirae, Dontae, Daneil, Anyia, Zach, all who will miss him dearly. 
 
He was preceded in death by his mother and father; one sister: Patricia; one brother: Jackie, one son: Michael; and a daughter: Lorri Gailey. 
 
His family will always remember him as a fisherman, craftsman, lover of a good joke and a good laugh and above all, he was our hero and will be forever missed. 
 
Memorials or condolences may be sent to the William E. Christiansen memorial fund in care of the family, 211 28th St. S.W., Mason City, IA 50401