Dennis Ray Christensen, 63
Dennis Ray Christensen passed away on Sept. 13, 2021, in Kalispell after complications due to long-term diabetes.
Dennis was born to Kenneth and Mae Christensen on Feb. 21, 1958, in Whitefish, and was baptized at Calvary Lutheran Church in Kalispell. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his family, and woodworking. He grew up in Kalispell and, after graduating from Flathead High School in 1976, he ventured North to Alaska and worked at various jobs at fish canneries and auto shops around Alaska.
He joined the U.S. Marines in 1978 and proudly served on Okinawa Island. He was a rifle marksman and received a good conduct medal during his service.
After being honorably discharged from the Marines, Dennis worked in the oilfield at Prudhoe Bay and also the oil terminal at Valdez, Alaska, as an industrial X-ray technician and mechanical inspector. Both were jobs which he loved and that he reflected upon as the best years of his working life. He loved to reminisce about the people and situations that he encountered during those years in the Arctic, and could tell stories about it for hours. He held other jobs throughout his lifetime but those were the most rewarding for him.
He returned to the Flathead Valley in 2019 and resided at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls. He was grateful to all the family and friends who came to visit him while there, especially his childhood friend Lori.
He is survived by his son Douglas Christensen (Lauren) of Washington, daughter Heidi Scott (Karl) of Idaho, and grandchildren Chris, Esme and Kaylani. He is also survived by his sister Tammy Phillips (John) of Montana, nieces Kristina Thomas, Melissa Coghill, Cynthia Martin, and their families. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins around Montana and beyond.
He was predeceased by his girlfriend Renita Ablott, parents Kenneth and Mae Christensen, nephew Kevin Krause, grandparents Walter and Mary Christensen, and grandparents Olaf and Julia Erickson.
Services will be at the Buffalo Hill Funeral Home in Kalispell on Sept. 25 at 11 a.m., with a reception following the service. He will be laid to rest near his parents at Birch Hill Cemetery in Fairbanks, Alaska, at a later date.
The family would like to thank the staff of the Dialysis Center in Kalispell for outstanding medical care and support. They would also like to thank the Montana Veterans Home and all their staff for their kind, compassionate and professional care of Dennis during his time with them.