Henry Edward Christner

CHRISTNER, Henry Edward, 98, of Williamsburg, passed away on August 8, 2020, at Patriots Colony. He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Elizabeth Evelyn Christner. Henry is survived by two sons, Henry Christner and wife Deborah of Washington, N.C., and Nick Christner and wife Kimberly of Barhamsville, Va.; one daughter, Nancy Christner of Virginia Beach, Va.; one brother, Kenneth Christner of Edwardsburg, Mich; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by six brothers: Willis, Ora, and Harold Christner; and Walter, Russell, and Richard Brazel. Henry was born on December 19, 1921, in Elkhart, Ind. In 1942, he married Elizabeth Young, a schoolteacher in Berrien Springs, Mich., and soon thereafter joined the U.S. Army during World War II. He served as a communications specialist at Allied headquarters in North Africa and Italy, where he crossed paths with Gen. Eisenhower and Winston Churchill. After the war, he was assigned to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.. He and Elizabeth settled in Virginia, where they would live for the next 20 years. During this time, he worked for the government in various communication locations. One of those was Mount Weather, a then-secret underground base near Berryville, Va., which served as an evacuation site for the U.S. President and Congress in case of nuclear war. Later, during the 1960s, he undertook a variety of communication assignments, including one in Vietnam. After the Kennedy assassination, he worked on a communication project related to presidential succession. In 1967, he was assigned to the Strategic Air Communications Command installation at Fort Huachuca near Sierra Vista, Ariz. While there, he was part of the “Dream Team” that worked on retinal-scanning technology. He also spent two years on assignment in Iran during the early 1970s, where he developed and implemented satellite communications throughout that country. Henry retired in 1977, after which he and his family returned to Virginia, where they settled in Culpeper. Henry was known for his work ethic and ability to solve problems through analysis. He loved planting and nurturing many different kinds of evergreen trees. In later years, he was an avid golfer. He also enjoyed annual hunting trips with his brother and other family members to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Henry always thought tomorrow would be better, and his ability to persevere served him well until the very end. He will be greatly missed by those who knew him and loved him. Services will be held in Williamsburg at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Legion, Post 85, Berrien Springs, Mich. (In Memory of Henry E. Christner), or the Alzheimer’s Association. Henry’s final resting place will be in Arlington National Cemetery. Online condolences may be shared at www.nelsenwilliamsburg.com.