Obituary

Earlene June Hightree Christensen

1935 - 2020

   Earlene June (Hightree) Christensen was born June 21, 1935 in rural Macy, Nebraska to Earl V. and Eathol (Donohoe) Hightree. She passed away November 10, 2020 at Regency Square Care Center in South Sioux City, Nebraska, at the age of 85.

Earlene attended country school in rural Burt County and loved riding her horse to school. She graduated from Decatur Public School in Decatur, Nebraska.   She married Wendell at her parents’ home in rural Decatur on January 1, 1953. They were blessed with three daughters: Wendy, Vicki, and Teresa.  Earlene was a member of the Eastern Star, an auxiliary member of the Decatur Fire Department and a lifelong member of Decatur United Methodist Church. She was also a member of the VFW Auxiliary.

She spent her time raising her three girls. She taught them to sew, cook, and garden. She supported all their interests in 4-H, sports, concerts, and many others. Her greatest joy was spoiling her grandchildren.
Earlene worked for Pat’s Café and True Value Hardware. She sold Avon and ran the Riverfront Queen. She later worked at Great West Casualty and Tooly’s Bottle Shop, until her health failed.  She also enjoyed helping at the Decatur Marina while her parents owned it.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wendell; parents; brother, Dale; sister, Evonne.

She is survived by her three daughters, Wendy (Scott) Phillips of Lyons, NE, Vicki (Butch) Nice of Sergeant Bluff, IA, Teresa (Terry) Vanderlinden of Kingsley, IA; sister, Barbara (Gerald) Bates of Decatur; 7 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; 2 ½ great great grandchildren