Joanne Christensen

Joanne Christensen, 90 Obituary for Joanne Lloyd Christensen (née McMahan) Joanne, known as "Jo" to all, age 90, passed away at her home on August 22, 2026, just ten days after the passing of her loving husband. Joanne was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and longtime member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Joanne was born March 4, 1936, in Great Falls, Montana, the youngest of three children of Mac and Gert McMahan. After beginning school there, during World War II her family moved to Spokane, Washington, where she attended school for one year, and then to Bremerton, Washington, where she completed elementary school, while her father supervised the building of submarine docks in Alaska and in Bremerton. Joanne later relocated with her family to Ellensburg, Washington, where she attended junior high through high school, while her mother was a registered nurse at the Ellensburg hospital and her father supervised highway construction in the area, including the Vernita bridge and a segment of I-90 from the west side of Snoqualmie Pass to the Vantage bridge. Joanne enjoyed the performing arts, taking the lead role in an Ellensburg city play the summer after her eighth-grade year and being selected as a soloist in the high school choir. She graduated from Ellensburg High School in the class of 1954. One afternoon in Ellensburg she met her high-school sweetheart, Bob Christensen of Kittitas, Washington, and snapped a photo of the back of his head in his convertible when he wouldn't turn to pose for a picture. They were married on November 12, 1955 and shared more than 70 years of marriage. Jo and Bob moved to the Royal Slope in 1957, where they pioneered farm ground under the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project. Their first two sons were born that year and the next while they lived in a nineteen-foot trailer and shared a car with Bob's brother and wife. During her early married years Jo further honed her cooking skills at the tutelage of Bob's mother. She could often be heard singing or humming hymns and other tunes while doing housework (including during the week prior to her death). Two additional sons were born in 1959 and 1962 after Jo and Bob completed construction of a two-bedroom basement house. During this period they formed lasting bonds with many other young couples starting a new life in the area. Shortly after the birth of their fifth son, the main floor of their longtime family home was completed in the spring of 1964. Over the years, Joanne and Bob enjoyed attending concerts at the Spokane opera house and traveling to Yellowstone, Disneyland, Hawaii, Sunriver Resort (Oregon), Ontario and British Columbia, as well as other destinations with their children. After their children were raised, Joanne and Bob moved to the Wahluke Slope (Mattawa) in 1993. Joanne always had a cheerful attitude and made a conscious choice to be an optimist. Church service, including many years of ward youth leadership positions and as Relief Society president, was central to Jo's life. She also performed approximately 20 years of temple service. She and her husband served two Church missions in Africa—first, a year in Zimbabwe in 1985-'86, and 20 years later, eighteen months in South Africa and Kenya. Seventeen active months after making the independent decision to forego treatment for pancreatic cancer that had metastasized to both of her lungs, Joanne died at home during Bob's funeral late in the morning of Saturday, August 22, 2026. Joanne is survived by her five sons: Neil Robert Christensen, Richard "Rick" Dean Christensen, Del Alan Christensen, Karl Reed Christensen, and Dana LeRoy Christensen; in addition to 17 grandchildren and 50 great-grandchildren. Joanne was preceded in death by her parents, Melvin ("Mac") and Gertrude ("Gert") McMahan, her older brother Duane, her twin sister Jeanne, and her daughter-in-law Becky Rexius Christensen. Joanne leaves a legacy of faith, loving devotion, service, and family. She will be greatly missed by her family and all who knew her. To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Joanne Christensen

March 4, 1936 - August 22, 2026