Barbara Bone Christensen

Her family lived in Salt Lake City. When Mom was in 4th grade, the family moved up to the Avenues. Barbara always loved animals, and it was during this time they adopted “Rusty”, a cocker spaniel. She loved the country life in Layton. In the summer, she would help her cousin with the cows and chickens. She loved to ride the horses. Vacations were spent at a cabin, fishing. Barbara loved to sing and play the piano. When she was 17, her father died. It was very unexpected. Both she and her mother went to work. Barbara attended the University of Utah. She graduated from the school of Business with a major in management and a minor in marketing in 1947.

She met Howard E Christensen, and they married in June 12, 1948. In June 1949, they moved to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and lived there for about a year. They adopted a cocker spaniel, Taffy. They moved back to the San Francisco area, and bought their first home on a hill in San Carlos. They welcomed 2 twin girls in 1953, Rebecca and Lesley. Barbara’s mother moved in with them when the twins were 9 months old. They built a home in San Carlos, which had an apartment on the lower level for Barbara’s mother. Four years after the birth of the twins, they had Steven. Barbara was a room mother, alternating between the twins’ classrooms and Steve’s classroom. In 1963, the family moved to Los Alamitos, California. It was here that her family was sealed for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles Temple. In 1964, their 4th child, Carol, was born. Their family was complete. In 1967, the family moved back to the San Francisco area, and bought a home in Cupertino. Barbara’s mother moved to her own apartment. Howard retired at age 62 due to health problems. In 1986, they moved to Redding, California, in a home he had designed. They enjoyed landscaping their 5 acres, and planting a vegetable garden. They also had a fruit orchard. They took trips with their friends, up the Oregon coast and to Manzanita Lake in their trailer. Howard passed away, 4 years later.

A year later, Barbara’s mother moved up to Redding. They did everything together and were best friends, until 1995 when her mother passed suddenly. Barbara left the home she loved, and moved to a nearby 55+ community. She lived there until 2012, when she moved to Richardson, Texas to be close to her daughter, Rebecca.

Barbara loved gardening, cooking, music, and flower arranging. She had a soft spot in her heart for those in need, and was generous in her donations to animal charities and to organizations helping children. She served in many organizations in the church, the Relief Society, the Primary, and as a chorister.

She is survived by her children and their spouses: Rebecca and Eric Torgerson of Richardson, Texas; Lesley and David Skowbo of Cupertino, California; Steven Christensen and his wife Samruam Onsanthia of Savannah, Georgia; Karen Kirkman of Dublin, California; and Carol and Daniel Williamson of Northfork, California.

She was so proud of her 7 grandchildren, Erica, Kristen, Michelle, Matthew, Jeffrey, Chris and Trevor. She loved hearing stories about her great grandchildren, Rose, Tripp and Wilde.

We know that Barbara is together with her family. She was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved her Savior. She believed in the power of prayer. She was loved, and will be missed by all.

A celebration of life will be held in Redding, California.