Doris Christianson

Doris Christianson, age 78, of Fosston, MN, passed away on Sunday (January 11th) at First Care Hospital in Fosston. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday (January 15th) at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Fosston with Father Dave Super presiding. Interment will be in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, Red Lake Falls, MN in the spring. Friends may call for one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the church. Arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston and messages of condolence may be sent at www.carlinhoialmen.com.Doris was born in Stanley, North Dakota on January 15th, 1930 to Peter and Katherine (Schacher) Abeldgaard and lived there until age 5 when her family moved to McIntosh, Minnesota. From an early age on she learned to farm, drive tractors, sew, crochet, knit, and make crafts of all kinds. She also enjoyed music, playing the accordion, dancing and especially took pride in building carousel horses with husband, Christy. Grandma Doris will be long remembered for her gift of cooking and baking. We will all miss her fresh homemade buns, caramel bars/rolls, and chocolate chip cookies. (Mom we will never bake as well as you!)Doris and James Grandbois were united in marriage on, October 25th, 1947 at St. Mary's Catholic church in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. They raised 8 children on a farm south of Red Lake Falls Minnesota, until the unexpected death of her husband James. Doris was a strong mother and continued to raise her children alone on the farm.Doris and Orian Henry (Christy) Christianson through their faith in God were brought together, they fell in love, and were united in marriage on February 23th, 1963 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. They combined their two families, Doris' 8 and Christy's 3 raising 11 children until the last child came along making an equal dozen, becoming the "Christianson/Grandbois Bunch". The two raised and graduated all 12 children from Fosston High School while owning and operating the ambulance service for the surrounding Fosston Communities. Doris while raising the family was also a key partner in their ambulance business and gift shop in Homer, Alaska. Doris along with raising the twelve children committed her life to make strives to better and support the community she lived in. Doris was one of the first Hospice Volunteers for First Care Medicare Hospice program. Doris' service as a past President of the Fosston Hospital Auxiliary during her tenure was able to fund-raise enough money to obtain the first color televisions for the facility. Along with her husband Christy, Doris serviced as Past President for American Legion Auxiliary.Empty nest gave Doris & Christy the wonderful opportunity and freedom to expand their dreams and the couple moved north to Alaska where they purchased a gift shop on the ocean (spit) in Homer, Alaska until official retirement. Following the death of her husband Christy, Doris came out of retirement once again and enjoyed 6 years of activity, and smiling as a Wal-Mart greeter in Mesa, AZ and in Bemidji MN. Doris Ann Christianson passed away into God's loving arms on January, 11th, 2009 at First Care Medical Services in Fosston Minnesota after a long courageous battle with cancer. Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Peter & Katherine Abeldgaard, husbands, Christy Christianson and James Grandbois, son Terry Christianson, daughter Susan Haugen, grandson Jeremy Ihrke, great grandson, Brian Drellack, and her sister Lettie Kisner.Doris is survived by her children, Thomas Grandbois, Fosston, MN, Marcia Dearman, Spokane, WA, Charlotte (Steve) Olson, Chaska, MN, Daniel Grandbois, Fosston, MN, Kathleen (Bob) Drellack, Fosston, MN, Ivy Burggraff, Nashwauk, MN, Gemma (Larry) Scott, Fosston, MN, Theresa (Willis) Ihrke, Lengby, MN, Michael (Kathy) Grandbois, Mentor, MN, and Debbie (Michael) Balluff, Oak Grove, MN; 29 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are seven brothers and sisters, Margaret Pearson of McIntosh, MN, Harold (Betty) Abeldgaard of Lengby, MN, Clarence (Geraldine) Abeldgaard of Homer, AK, Peter (Marilyn) Abeldgaard of Phoenix, AZ, Edna (Ole) Arneberg of Fosston, MN, Betty (Willie) Larson of Bagley, MN, and Lloyd (Della) Abeldgaard of Lengby, MN.Doris touched many lives in her lifetime and will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by all who shared in her life. May her memory be blessed.