d. Dec. 4, 2012

Oren Lee Christensen passed away peacefully on Dec. 4, 2012, after a long, courageous battle against cancer.

Born in Selma, Oren grew up in Fresno, attended Fresno State College and UC Berkeley, where he studied civil and structural engineering earning Phi Beta Kappa honors. Upon graduation he attended Midshipman’s School at Notre Dame University and was commissioned an Ensign, Naval Civil Engineering Corps. He served with the 103rd Navy Seabee Battalion in California, Hawaii and Guam.

After completion of his military duties Oren worked in civil and structural engineering design from 1946-1958. From 1959 to 1965 he was supervisor of Facilities Planning Group at Lockheed Missiles and Space Company preparing siting and design criteria for satellite ground stations in various locations. He also received an MBA from the University of Santa Clara during this time.

From 1965 to 1977 he was director of facilities planning for Stanford Research Institute. From 1977 to 1987 he took a position as vice president for new building programs, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and supervised the construction of the bank’s new facilities in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Upon retirement he continued as a building program consultant for several years before devoting his time to volunteer activities in Santa Rosa and Davis.

Oren was blessed with a loving marriage to Mabel Fox for 52 years. In 2000 he and Eunice Adair were married and combined their families, both having lost their spouses to cancer. Oren was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Santa Rosa, and University Covenant Church of Davis. He was active on both churches’ building programs. Music was an integral part of his life and he always found time to sing in church choirs. One of his greatest pleasures came from volunteering at Mondavi Center for the Arts. He also devoted time to Grace House until his health declined.

Oren is survived by his wife Eunice; daughter Sharon Hamilton and her husband, Don; son Darrell Christensen and his wife Sandi; stepdaughters Susan Coleman-LaPlanche, husband John, and Laura Ramalingam, husband Ravi. In addition he leaves seven grandchildren, D.J. Hamilton, Christen Hamilton-Simon, Jaime Hamilton, Cameron Hamilton, Erika Christensen, Jordan Ramalingam and Zachary Ramalingam; and four great-grandchildren who brought him great pleasure. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Ruby Christensen, his brother, Eldon Christensen, and his wife, Mabel Fox Christensen.

A memorial service honoring his life will begin at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14, at University Convent Church in Davis. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, Yolo Hospice or Sutter Davis Hospital Foundation.

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