SHERRY COLLEEN CHRISTIANSON

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SHERRY COLLEEN CHRISTIANSON (nee FORAN) On November 8, 2016, after a long and wonderful life, Sherry Christianson passed away at Victoria Hospital. Born in Winnipeg on December 8, 1930, Sherry was the third of Minnie and Powder Foran's four daughters. She attended Principal Sparling and Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute, graduating from Success Business College as a comptometer operator before starting her career in the accounts department at Silverwood Dairy. She always said she intended to be a single career-woman, until she was introduced to Elgin Christianson at her family cottage at Grand Beach. They married in 1957. Elgin and Sherry moved to Oxford Street in a muddy new subdivision and raised their two children, Tana and Jeff. Sherry kept the cleanest house on the block, but it was also a home filled with love, laughter and the aroma of baking cookies. She never went back to the workplace but looked after her family and extended family and friends, and volunteered at Montrose School Library for more than 40 years. When Elgin began competitive Senior Men's curling, Sherry became a serious curling groupie. Sherry and Elgin were devoted to one another. After Elgin's untimely death in 1992, Sherry focused her love and energy on her grandchildren, playing, driving, talking (and sometimes lecturing), hosting sleepovers, jumping rope, pretending to be the villain (or the horse) in elaborate Disney movie re-enactments, and always instilling the importance of ethics, kindness, and tolerance. Sherry's enormous influence produced three millennial grandchildren with all the best qualities of baby boomers. Sherry was passionate about Canada, the CBC, rummy, fitness, liberal democracy, candy, curling, bagpipes, social justice, kindness, laundry, Leonard Cohen, and above all, family. Sherry is survived by her son Jeff Christianson, daughter-in-law Maureen Doyle, daughter Tana Christianson, son-in-law Cy Fien; grandchildren, Erik Christianson, Inga Christianson and Nora Christianson Fien; sisters, Joyce McQueen, Marlene Driver, and her sister, best friend and most recently, roommate, Audry Foran. She is also survived by in-laws, Glen and Joan Christianson, and Marilyn Christianson; first cousins, Norma King and Jerry Wynd, and nieces and nephews. Her niece Marnie Driver Watson was a frequent and treasured visitor. In accordance with Sherry's wishes, there will be no photo of her and no memorial service.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 14, 2016