Earnest Albert Christie

Earnest Albert 'Earnie' Christie was born February 24, 1920, in Valley Falls, Kansas. He was the son of Thomas E. and Freetta Mamie (Keen) Christie. Earnie grew up and lived in the Valley Falls area. After his marriage to Mary, they lived in Wichita, Wellington, Hiawatha, Fort Scott, Osage City, Uniontown, and moved to Ottawa in 1995, where he made his home until his death Thursday, January 24, 2002, at the age of eighty-one years. He graduated from Horton (Kansas) High School with the class of 1937 and Stricklers Business College in Topeka, Kansas; attended Kansas State University from 1946 through 1948; and graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy in 1949. Earnie worked for the Social Security Board in Baltimore, Maryland, transferring to the Federal Communication Commission, then USDA Soil Conservation Service, retiring with thirty-six years of service in 1976. Mr. Christie served in the United States Navy from April 6, 1943, to December 4, 1945. He served in the South Pacific aboard the USS Enterprise as Chief Petty Officer. He was a lifetime member of USS Enterprise Association; Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Post #5901, Ottawa; and, the Soil Conservation Society of America. In Earnie's younger days, he enjoyed hunting and fishing. He and Mary did a lot of traveling and, for the past seventeen years, spent their winters in Southern Texas. He also liked to go to auctions and set up booths at flea markets. Earnie's greatest enjoyment was spending time with his family and watching his grandchildren participate in their sports and school activities. On September 17, 1950, Earnie was united in marriage with Mary I. Friesen at Wichita, Kansas. She survives of their home. Also, surviving are two daughters, Vicki Ruggiero and her husband, Joe, of Lindsborg, Cheryl Shaw and her husband, Charles 'Butch', of Ottawa; son, Gary 'Ernie' Christie and his wife, Kelly, of Penn Valley, California; sister, Velma Boley and her husband, Tom, of Topeka; sister-in-law, Donna Christie, Lenexa; eight grandchildren; and, two great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Millard A. Christie in March of 1999; and, granddaughter, Misty Shaw. SERVICES: Graveside services will be held from Highland Cemetery 2:30 p.m., Monday, January 28, 2002, with military honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Post #5901. OFFICIATING CLERGY: Rev. Francis Stockton, Trinity United Methodist Church, Ottawa. IN STATE: Mr. Christie will lie in state after 1:00 p.m. Saturday to service hour at Dengel & Son Mortuary, where family will meet with friends 1:00 p.m. Monday, January 28, and process to Highland Cemetery for 2:30 p.m. services. CEMETERY: Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, Kansas. MEMORIALS: The family suggests memorials to Midland Hospice, American Heart Association or American Parkinson's Disease Association, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.