POLSON -- Johannes Christiansen, 70, died on Jan. 31, 2006, at St. Joseph Hospital here. He was born on March 28, 1935, in Oevenum, Germany. Oevenum is a small island in the North Sea near Denmark. After finishing school, he worked on a farm. A friend of the family came to visit from America and invited John (as he is called here in the U.S.), to come to America, the land of many opportunities. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1954 and was put to work in a German delicatessen. He couldn't speak one word of English, but had to learn the language while on the job. In New York, there were many opportunities to participate in German dances. One of those dances was held in Franklin Square, Long Island, and the same type was held in New Jersey that a young lady by the name of Ina Diers attended. Both John and Ina lived on Long Island, and had the same common interest in dancing. They dated for a short time, then were married on March 24, 1957, in Rego Park, NY. John and Ina owned and operated a delicatessen store for 17 years. They lived in the New York area until 1997, before retiring and moving to Prescott Valley, AZ, where they lived for 4 1/2 years before moving to Montana in 2003. Not too long ago, John said, "I love it here, this feels like going home." John was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, and is survived by his wife, Ina, and two children: a daughter, Marrett, lives at the family home, and a son, John, lives in Phoenix. John and Ina don't have any grandchildren, but their daughter has three dogs and a cat so they are the grandparents of those. Five brothers, Jens, Siegfried, Tony, George and Manfred, and two sisters, Tina Christiansen and Marrett Luders, also survive him. A memorial service was held on Feb. 4 at the Mount Calvary Lutheran Church. Inurnment followed at Lakeview Cemetery. Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson.

Char-Koosta News Feb 2006