Theresa Christensen, age 83, of Coin, Iowa, passed away on February 23, 2015 at the Winters Park Nursing Home in Garland, Texas. Theresa was born on October 13, 1931, in Imogene, Iowa, the daughter of Bernard James and Irene Ellen (Gutchenritter) Laughlin. Although she was christened with the name Florence, those who knew and loved her called her Theresa.

She attended and graduated from St. Patrick's Catholic School in Imogene, Iowa. After graduation from high school, Theresa worked at the Shenandoah Hand Community Hospital as an aide. She met Kennard Christensen while he was in the Marine Corps and stationed in California. They married on December 30, 1950 (Kenny's birthday) and moved to California for several years while Kenny served his time in the Marines. They returned to Coin to live and raise a family.

She was a long-time member of St. Mary's Catholic Church of Shenandoah, Iowa. Theresa was placed on this Earth to be a loving mother and homemaker. She cherished this role and found it to be wonderful and fulfilling. She was the proud mother of four children, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Theresa always considered Coin, Iowa her home but in 2006, Theresa went to Richardson, Texas to stay with her daughter, JoAnn. She attended daily mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. She made many friends at church, at the weekly hair appointments and at the senior citizen center. Theresa was born with a huge giving heart and always thought of others and never of herself. Sometimes her thoughtfulness was extreme but that just showed the size of her caring for others. She loved to talk, tell her favorite stories to her children and grandchildren, and loved to stay in touch with her siblings and friends with her daily phone calls. She loved to laugh and make others laugh. The people that she touched will all say that she was quite a woman. She loved to sew, cook and bake for her family who remembers her wonderful fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, lemon angel food cake (her special recipe), homemade bread, dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls just to name a few.

She was preceded in death by husband Kennard, her parents, her brother Jerome Laughlin, sisters Rose Korshoj and Jean Eitzen, sisters-in-law and their spouses Don and Mary Lou Pearson, Vernon and Dorothy Grafft and brother-in-law and spouse Merle and Ida Mae Christensen.

Those left to cherish her memory include her children: Steve Christensen of Eldora, Iowa and his two daughters - Lindsey Christensen of Waterloo, Iowa and Larissa Treloar and husband Landon and son Brady of Waverly, Iowa; JoAnn Murrell of Richardson, Texas and her two children--Kristy Smith and husband Nathan and their three daughters Kinley, Adler and Charlie of Valley View, Texas and son Brendan Murrell and fianc Page Geath of Garland, Texas; Mike Christensen and wife Susan of Plano, Texas and Doris Christen and husband John and their two children Jennifer and Matthew of LaVista, Nebraska. Surviving siblings are Lois Ludington, Bud Laughlin, Gerald Laughlin, Helen Robinson, Bobby Laughlin, Pat Laughlin and John Laughlin; sister-in-law Jean Laughlin and brother-in-law Hogart Korshoj; and many other relatives and friends.

Memorials may be directed to the family. Which will later be given to the Alzheimer's Association.

Burial will be held at the Elmwood Cemetery in Coin, Iowa.