Obituary of Gerald B. Christensen

Gerald Bruce Christensen, 83, died peacefully, surrounded by his family on November 14 at Manor Care in Easton, Pennsylvania. Born: in Fords, New Jersey in 1930 to Anker and Florence Larson Christensen, Gerry grew up in Perth Amboy and North Brunswick. He served in the US Marine Corps during the Korean War, and then attended Newark School of Fine Arts. He worked as a house parent for four years at the Newark Home for Foster Care, where he met a summer counselor, Christine Werner, who would be his wife and true love. Personal: Gerry and Chris raised their children in North Brunswick, and later lived in Penn Yan, New York. They moved to Washington, New Jersey in 1999 to be near their grandchildren. Gerry was an artist who carved, painted, and worked in many other media. His artwork focused on wildlife rendered in wood. Incidental to his life as an artist, he held jobs; he was a carpenter, a picture framer, and he worked in the facilities department at Rutgers University. Gerry was loved by a large community of family, friends, and colleagues. He had a great sense of humor, an unlimited appetite for life and food, and made friends wherever he went. He often laughed, he adored babies and children of all ages, he was generous with his time, art, and kindness, and he will be missed by many. Survivors: He is survived by Christine, his wife of 53 years, daughters Carissa and Beth Anne, son Matthew, daughter-in-law Jennifer, and granddaughters Dana and Audrey. He also leaves a sister Dorothy and a brother Kenneth. Services: Friends and family may call on Monday November 18, 2013 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at the Warren Hills Memorial Home, 234 W. Washington Ave. Washington, NJ 07882. Funeral services will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Tuesday November 19, 2013 at the funeral home. Memorials: Donations to remember Gerry can be made to the Washington, NJ Emergency Squad (at 100 Belvidere Ave, Washington, NJ 07882), who cheerfully came to his rescue during floods and falls. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Warren Hills Memorial Home.