Rowena Christensen

Rowena S. Christensen passed away peacefully on June 30, 2020. She was born in Mobile, Alabama but moved to New Orleans with lifelong friend, Mary Rhomer, to attend Charity Hospital School of Nursing. She fell in love the City of New Orleans and made it her lifelong home. She was preceded in death by her husband, Siegfried B. Christensen, III and son, Siegfried B. Christensen IV. Beloved mother of four daughters, Gayle C. Mann and Karen Christensen Clayton (Rick), both of New Orleans, Mary Kaye C. Quinters (Wayne) of Ponchatoula, La, and Lisa C. O’Shaughnessy (Tim) of San Antonio, TX. Grandmother of Eric and Virginia Mann, Christen Q. Dodd, Charles and Caroline Clayton, and Sarah, Lauren, and Colin O’Shaughnessy. Also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and 6 great grandchildren.

Rowena was a graduate of Charity Hospital School of Nursing Class of 1951, Latter & Blum Incorporated Real Estate, and Dale Carnegie Salesmanship training, where she also became an instructor.

Her nursing career spanned over 49 years including private duty nursing at Charity Hospital, Med/Surgical Nursing at Baptist Hospital, Nursing supervisor at New Orleans Home and Rehabilitation Center, Director of Nursing at both St Charles Healthcare and Magnolia School. She retired from active practice in December of 2000 but continued to maintain her license. She also pursued a career in Real Estate beginning in 1971 with Latter and Blum, where she became a Lifetime Member of the Million Dollar Club. In 1979, she founded Christensen, Inc. and continued practicing Real Estate as a Realtor/Broker. Later she joined Tommy Crane, Inc. and finished her career with Gardner Realtors. Over the years she collected numerous sales achievement awards. Her unwavering determination inspired others to achieve their highest potential in every endeavor. As she was known to say, “the value of hard work and knowledge has never eluded me”.

The family would like to thank Dr. Charles C. Smith for his incredible care of both Rowena and “the girls”. Also, thanks to Dr. Stephen Rynick for making the last years of her life more comfortable. And finally, we are eternally grateful to the absolutely amazing staff at Touro Hospitals’ 4th floor Rehabilitation Unit, where the quality of care exceeds any that we have ever experienced.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a funeral service at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd in New Orleans, on Tuesday, July 7, 2020. Visitation will begin at 9 AM with a Mass to follow at 11 AM. Interment in Greenwood Cemetery.