Mary Jo Foxhoven Christensen
April 27, 1947 — December 13, 2017
Mary Jo Christensen was born April 27, 1947 in Omaha, Nebraska to John “Jack” and Jeanne (Galac) Vandenbroucke. She was baptized at St. Mary’s, confirmed at St. Margaret Mary’s, and graduated in 1965 from Cathedral High School in Omaha, Nebraska. She started working at Northwestern Bell Telephone company in 1964 and began attending classes at the University of Nebraska – Omaha. Mary Jo met her first husband Gerald “Jerry” Foxhoven in January, 1970 at a Catholic dance in Omaha. They were married September 4, 1970, and she moved to Earling, Iowa; two children were born to this union. They resided on the farm until moving to Harlan, Iowa in 1975. Mary Jo and Jerry raised their daughter Kerry together until 1982 when Jerry suffered a fatal heart attack. She then had various part-time jobs, spent time volunteering, and doing crafts in her free time. August 1, 1991 Mary Jo married her second husband Grant Christensen in Harlan, Iowa. They shared farming responsibilities together on their farm in Shelby County and had special times with their grandchildren.
Family was the most important aspect of Mary Jo’s life, and it took priority. She was a very doting mother and grandmother and was always prepared for any occasion, such as birthdays, baby showers, or weddings. She never missed an important event, and she even had back up gifts, just in case someone special needed one at the last minute. Mary Jo was an avid card player and was always ready for a game of pinochle or hearts. She was a strong-willed woman, which helped her overcome many of the challenges life threw her way, including surviving cancer.
She passed away on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, at the age of 70 years, 7 months, and 16 days. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her first husband Gerald Foxhoven; infant son Jeffrey Foxhoven; brothers John and Joseph Vandenbroucke.
Left to cherish her memory are her husband Grant Christensen of Harlan, IA; daughter Kerry (Michael) Jonas of Blair, NE; granddaughters Ashley and Marissa Jonas of Blair, NE; sister Nancy (Bruce) Orr of Portland, OR; brother Mark (Mary) Vandenbroucke of Omaha, NE; sisters-in-law Linda Vandenbroucke of Gretna, NE and Cindy Vandenbroucke of Omaha, NE; nieces, nephews, and many other family members and friends.
Family was the most important aspect of Mary Jo’s life, and it took priority. She was a very doting mother and grandmother and was always prepared for any occasion, such as birthdays, baby showers, or weddings. She never missed an important event, and she even had back up gifts, just in case someone special needed one at the last minute. Mary Jo was an avid card player and was always ready for a game of pinochle or hearts. She was a strong-willed woman, which helped her overcome many of the challenges life threw her way, including surviving cancer.
She passed away on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, at the age of 70 years, 7 months, and 16 days. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her first husband Gerald Foxhoven; infant son Jeffrey Foxhoven; brothers John and Joseph Vandenbroucke.
Left to cherish her memory are her husband Grant Christensen of Harlan, IA; daughter Kerry (Michael) Jonas of Blair, NE; granddaughters Ashley and Marissa Jonas of Blair, NE; sister Nancy (Bruce) Orr of Portland, OR; brother Mark (Mary) Vandenbroucke of Omaha, NE; sisters-in-law Linda Vandenbroucke of Gretna, NE and Cindy Vandenbroucke of Omaha, NE; nieces, nephews, and many other family members and friends.
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