Clarice E. Christensen
July 27, 1924 — September 13, 2013
Clarice Elizabeth Christensen was born on July 27, 1924 to Jorgen and Ollie (Peterson) Christensen in Harlan, Iowa. She attended Douglas No. 9 country school and graduated from Harlan High School with the Class of 1941.
She attended Peru State Teachers College in Peru, Nebraska. Her first teaching job was in a one-room schoolhouse teaching eleven students ranging from first through eighth grades. She taught at Center No. 8 in Tennant, Rabbit Hollow, and Kirkman schools. After teaching in Iowa for ten years, she moved to California and spent forty years teaching fourth, fifth, and sixth grades at Marengo School in South Pasadena. She continued her education part-time at the University of Southern California where she eventually earned her degree.
Clarice received numerous awards from different organizations, including being honored as “Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year for the 1991-1992 school year.
She was known throughout the teaching community for her inventive ideas and developing learning systems that allowed her students to have fun while studying and learning new things.
She was cited for reviving the traditional Maypole dance focusing on her Danish heritage and was thrilled to be part of the Danish Folk Dancing at the opening ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She was also featured in the Los Angeles Times. During her summers off, she loved to travel. She traveled as far north as the Cape in Norway and Point Barrow, Alaska to Peru in South America. After many years and a million miles, she never had an accident or a ticket.
After her retirement, Clarice helped design her dream home and moved to Pioneer, California, away from the city life. She enjoyed participating in quilting groups. She moved to Solvang, California to an active retirement community and enjoyed exercise classes, games, picnics and outings. She stayed busy volunteering at the local museum and traveling to visit friends and family.
Clarice died on Friday, September 13, 2013 in Solvang, California, having attained the age of eighty-nine years, one month, and seventeen days. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Lloyd.
She is survived by her brother Virgil Christensen and his wife Joyce of Harlan, Iowa; niece Lisa Hansen of Rancho Palos Verdes, California; other family members and friends.
Pastor Steven Chellew officiated the 11:00 AM graveside service on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at the Harlan Cemetery in Harlan, Iowa.
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She attended Peru State Teachers College in Peru, Nebraska. Her first teaching job was in a one-room schoolhouse teaching eleven students ranging from first through eighth grades. She taught at Center No. 8 in Tennant, Rabbit Hollow, and Kirkman schools. After teaching in Iowa for ten years, she moved to California and spent forty years teaching fourth, fifth, and sixth grades at Marengo School in South Pasadena. She continued her education part-time at the University of Southern California where she eventually earned her degree.
Clarice received numerous awards from different organizations, including being honored as “Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year for the 1991-1992 school year.
She was known throughout the teaching community for her inventive ideas and developing learning systems that allowed her students to have fun while studying and learning new things.
She was cited for reviving the traditional Maypole dance focusing on her Danish heritage and was thrilled to be part of the Danish Folk Dancing at the opening ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She was also featured in the Los Angeles Times. During her summers off, she loved to travel. She traveled as far north as the Cape in Norway and Point Barrow, Alaska to Peru in South America. After many years and a million miles, she never had an accident or a ticket.
After her retirement, Clarice helped design her dream home and moved to Pioneer, California, away from the city life. She enjoyed participating in quilting groups. She moved to Solvang, California to an active retirement community and enjoyed exercise classes, games, picnics and outings. She stayed busy volunteering at the local museum and traveling to visit friends and family.
Clarice died on Friday, September 13, 2013 in Solvang, California, having attained the age of eighty-nine years, one month, and seventeen days. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Lloyd.
She is survived by her brother Virgil Christensen and his wife Joyce of Harlan, Iowa; niece Lisa Hansen of Rancho Palos Verdes, California; other family members and friends.
Pastor Steven Chellew officiated the 11:00 AM graveside service on Tuesday, September 24, 2013 at the Harlan Cemetery in Harlan, Iowa.
PDF Printable Version
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