Darlene was unique from the very beginning of her life on this Earth. On December 25, 1947, a San Diego Police Officer, Perry Lee, responded to a private residence with a female in labor. With the assistance of Officer Lee, a beautiful baby girl was born. In the next couple of days, Officer Lee discovered that the mother was going to give the baby girl up for adoption. Officer Lee and his wife, Audrey filed for the adoption, and it was approved. They named her Darlene Marie Lee. She lived in Lemon Grove, CA through Grammar School, and graduated from Mt. Miguel High School.
When Darlene was approximately 17 years of age, she and a high-school-girl friend were downtown San Diego, when they witnessed a traffic accident involving a San Diego Police car, which came to a stop in the street on it’s roof. Darlene and her girl friend didn’t hesitate. They ran to the police car and pulled the wounded officers out of the car, to safety. For her efforts, San Diego Police Chief W.S. Sharp, recommended that Darlene be presented with a “Moral Fiber Award” and a $100.00 U.S. Savings bond, by a local San Diego Bank, for “Unusual assistance to law enforcement officers”.
While working at an Oscar’s Drive-In restaurant, Darlene met California Highway Patrol Officer, Jim Christison, when he and his partner came in for a coffee break. Let the romance begin.
Darlene was so efficient at her job, she was requested to work, sometimes, at two or three different restaurants in a week, plus being an instructor for new employees. She worked alone on Fridays and Saturdays, the entire late shift. Officer Christison would trade beats with other officers, so he could visit Darlene at her restaurant, during his graveyard shift.
Just prior to Darlene meeting Jim, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, named Lisa Marie.
On November 14, 1971, Jim and Darlene traveled to Las Vegas, to join themselves in marriage.
Jim adopted Lisa Marie and she became a Christison.
They lived in an apartment in San Diego until they purchased two duplexes in Santee, using the GI Bill. They lived in one unit and rented three. This was a full time job for Darlene, resulting in her dropping out of the job market. Finally they purchased a single family home in Santee. The duplexes were sold and Darlene went into the “Pop Shoppe” business, one store in Poway and the other in El Cajon. Darlene managed these stores until her father became ill. The businesses were sold and Darlene spent the next several years caring for her father, in her home, until he passed away.
A male Pomeranian dog was found on the freeway. Darlene and Jim agreed to take it home from the Highway Patrol Office and care for it until the owner could be located. Two newspaper ads resulted in zero responses. The Pomeranian was named Chippie, and he had a new home. Later Darlene decided Chippie needed a companion. Now, Chippie has a girl friend named Bambi. As a result Bambi, with the help of Darlene and Lisa, brought six puppies into this world. Their names were Bullet, Bandit, Citation, Target, Radar, and Siren. Darlene is taking their ashes with her to the grave.
Darlene spent two years as a member of the Federal Grand Jury, in San Diego. Every Wednesday she would make a trip downtown for a good part of the day. She also contributed to the Municipal and Superior Court Jury Pools, several times.
Darlene loved the holidays. She would decorate the inside of the house for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. She received tons of complements on her decorating skills. Darlene didn’t do anything simple. Everything had to be special, whether it was a birthday, anniversary, Jim’s poker party, a football game, a Bunco party, etc.
Darlene attended the Rock Church at the original location in San Diego. She loved Pastor Miles. When the new location was opened in Point Loma, Jim joined her on Sundays. Health issues prevented her from attending a few years later. These issues persisted and some were eventually a direct cause of her passing.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sorrentovalleychapel.com for the Christison family.
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