Oscar P. “Junior” Christensen, 68, died at home Jan. 23, 2004, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

He retired as a contractor in 1998, having spent many years doing what he loved: building homes. He loved sports of all kinds, especially football and baseball, as well as golf and salmon fishing. After retiring, he spent winters in Arizona with Jackie, his wife of 47 years, and his brothers and sisters, where they went panning for gold, sightseeing and playing. He kept busy at home with gardening, raising dahlias and turning the homestead into a small campground, where many relatives and friends spent time while visiting Whidbey in the summer. His family said he will be remembered as a man of God who loved and cared for everyone and everything he encountered.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by sons John, Robert and Hans and wife Bonnie, all of Whidbey Island; a daughter, Pam, and her husband, Ken Davis, of Mount Vernon; grandchildren Nicole, Michael, Kevin and Zachary Christensen, Jennifer and her husband Diego Mena, Brian and Natalie Davis; a brother, Chris, of Seattle and Arizona; and a sister and her husband, Nancy and Dale Charles in Arizona.

A celebration of his life will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at South Whidbey Assembly of God, on Maxwelton Road. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials be given to the South Whidbey Assembly Missionary Fund.