Garry Christiansen

Garry Allan Christiansen, 82, of Edgar, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, with his family by his side.

Garry was born June 13, 1942, in the town of Frankfort to Sebastian and Martha (Gribowski) Christiansen. He was the second of five children. He was baptized and confirmed at Peace Lutheran Church. He graduated from Edgar High School in 1960.

On October 14, 1961, he married Barbara Passehl at St. John’s Lutheran Church ELCA, in the town of Wein. They have been married 62 years.

Garry came from a farming background, and he and Barb started farming shortly after they were married. In 1962, he was hired by Wausau Homes. Garry held many positions and worked his way up from working as a carpenter to supervising and managing plant start-ups. During his 46-1/2 years with Wausau Homes, Garry and his family lived in Ottumwa, Iowa; Lake Wales, Fla.; Gray, Ga., and Charleston, Ill. After Charleston, they came back to the Wausau area and settled in Edgar for retirement. Garry was never one to sit still, so he took a part-time job at Menards, which he held for the last eight years. He always knew where everything was in his department and had contractors that would come in and look for him because they knew he would always be able to help.

Garry’s friends and family will remember him fondly as the handyman. He loved to work on projects with his children and could be found

remodeling, building a shed, or installing a garage door. He loved to help friends, neighbors, and family mowing lawns, and shoveling snow. Survivors include his loving wife, Barbara, who resides at their home in Edgar; two children: Robyn (Marge), Sheboygan and Scott (Lisa), Monroe; two grandchildren: Steven (friend Jackie Jozefiak), Chicago, Ill., and Derek (Sabrina), Plano, Texas; two brothers and one sister: Kenneth (Kay), Edgar, Patricia Emon, Stratford and Kevin (Geri), Fenwood; brother-in-law, Ardell Passehl (Nancy), Prairie Du Sac; brother-in-law, Rod Passehl (Mary Jean), Edgar and sister-in-law, Lynn Christiansen, Edgar. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sebastian and Martha Christiansen; in-laws, Herbert and Caroline Passehl; one brother, Leroy (Lynn) and a brother-in-law, Ardell Emon.

Visitation was held Thursday, Aug. 22, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and Friday, Aug. 23, from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Hope Lutheran Church in Edgar, 224556 State Hwy. 97, Edgar. The funeral service began at 11 a.m. on Friday following the visitation. Rev. Andrew Cave presided. Burial was at St. John Lutheran Cemetery, Edgar.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Hope Lutheran Church memorial fund.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.petersonkraemer.com.

Paid obituary 157332