Gregory V Christianson

Gregory Vance Christianson was born April 13, 1969, in Connecticut the son of James and Nancy (Keller) Christianson. He lived in Iowa with his parents for a short time before they moved to Roselle, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 1970. Greg attended a school for the disabled where he learned some sign language and participated in Special Olympics. A few years after his mother’s death in 1984, Greg, his sister, Heidi, and his father, Jim, moved to the Winger, Minnesota community. Shortly after moving to Minnesota, Greg moved into the foster home of Charles and Judy Reitmeier in McIntosh, Minnesota. Greg attended the Fertile School of Special Education Program and was involved in the Boy Scouts of the Americas. He graduated on May 18, 1990. In November of 1995, Greg’s father died and a little more than year later his foster father, Charles, died. Greg continued to make his home with Judy. In April of 2000 with Judy’s marriage to Wendel Webster, Greg got a new foster father. For most of his adult life he was a client at the East Polk County DAC in Fosston, Minnesota. He worked at several different locations in Fosston for the DAC. Greg loved the “Three Stooges” and did a great impersonation of their actions (nah, nah, nah). He enjoyed the time with his niece, Briana, and nephew, Brett, and the many foster kids that came to stay. Greg had a special friend, Bradley, with whom he enjoyed spending time laughing and playing. Some of the activities Greg enjoyed were; squirt gun fights, swinging on the swing set, playing kickball and bowling. Greg had a great arm for throwing a ball, but didn’t quite get the concept of catching the ball. Instead he would let it drop to the ground and then pick it up. He also enjoyed throwing Frisbees, especially if he could get it to go over the back yard fence or get stuck on the roof. Greg spent over half of his life under the care of Judy Webster, caring, providing and loving him. He wasn’t just a foster person; he was a member of her family. Judy and Wendel provided Greg many opportunities and experiences, from hours of fishing on area lakes during the summer, snowmobiling in the winter, attending concerts of his favorite singers, making wood crafts and using power tools, giving him independence of walking the dogs through McIntosh to providing him a life worth living. Greg Christianson died unexpectedly but peacefully in his home in McIntosh, MN on Thursday March 28, 2013, of natural causes at the age of 43 years, 11 months and 15 days. He is survived by his sister, Heidi (Brian) Holmer, Thief River Falls, MN; niece and nephew, Briana & Brett Holmer; foster parents, Judy and Wendel Webster, McIntosh, MN; aunts, Mildred Hanson, Erskine, MN and Elinor (Robert) Brasher, West Cape May, NJ; and many cousins. Greg was preceded in death by his parents; all four of his grandparents; foster father, Charles Reitmeier; and one aunt, Elizabeth “Betty” Anderson. Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 2 at 11:00am in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, McIntosh, MN. Visitation was one hour before services at the church. Pastor Ryan Rasmussen officiated with Diane Boucher providing the music. The pallbearers were Bradley Davis, Brian Holmer, Ron Bailie, Steve Jacobson and Karl Odegaard. Interment will be in the Calvary Lutheran Cemetery, Winger, MN.

Gregory V Christianson

April 13, 1969 - March 28, 2013