Dr. Sheldon (Shel) Owen Christenson

Dr. Sheldon (Shel) Owen Christenson, age 61, passed away peacefully on September 7th, 2024, at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas. He was born December 15th, 1962, in Montevideo, MN, to Selmer and Wilma Christenson. He was the last of eight children to be born to them. He was baptized at Jevnaker Lutheran Church in Mandt Township in Chippewa County, MN and confirmed at Peace Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids, MN.

After studying Community Health at Minnesota State, Mankato, Sheldon worked in Environmental Health with the Minnesota Department of Health. He earned a Master of Political Science degree taking night classes at MSU Mankato. He later entered Luther Seminary, graduating with a Master of Religious Education in 1998 and a Master of Divinity in 1999. He was ordained as a Deacon in the ELCA on September 15th, 1999, at Peace Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids, MN. He served in Christian education at three churches in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. He volunteered teaching adult ministry at Nativity Lutheran Church in St. Anthony Village, MN. He would go on to graduate from Pnuema Theological Seminary as a Doctor of Religious Education in 2021. He was hired by Butler Community College to teach Religion and Government courses. Since his twenties, Sheldon worked for First Student Inc., a transportation company, with fifteen of those years spent as a classroom and behind the wheel bus driver educator.

On a work assignment in Wichita, Kansas, Sheldon met Tommie Anaya. During COVID in 2020, he moved to Wichita intending to marry her. They married on January 2nd, 2021.

In September of 2021, Sheldon was diagnosed with colo-rectal cancer, beginning a difficult fight for his life. He is survived by his wife, Tommie Anaya; his two daughters, Megan and Piper Christenson; his siblings Karen Christenson Jilek, Marilyn Miller, Kenneth Christenson, Annette Wolvin, and Janelle Reed. He is preceded in death by his parents Selmer and Wilma, and his brothers Dean and Raymond.