Obit: Gay Christiansen, 83, Ludington

Gay Ellen Christiansen, aged 83 of Longfellow Towers, Ludington, passed away on Friday, October 11, 2013. Gay was born on July 1, 1930 in Muskegon, the daughter of Glen and Eva (Hughes) Morse, and married Clarence “Clay” Christiansen on May 23, 1952. Clay preceded her in death in 1994. Together they operated Scottville Floor Covering for many years until Clay became ill. Gay worked other jobs to provide for their family including 27 years at Fosters Market in Scottville as a cashier and bookkeeper, and at the Scottville Variety Store until she was 78 years old. Gay enjoyed traveling with her good friends Dorothy Manley and Judy Moorlag, spending time at the Scottville Senior Center with the Rip and Roar group, and going to the VFW. She was a charter member of Mason County Reformed Church, and in her younger years, was very active in bowling leagues in the area, and supporting Clay when he was a member of the Scottville Optimist Club. Her greatest joy came in the presence of her daughters and grandchildren.

Along with her husband Clay, she was also preceded in death by her parents, her sister Doris Scanlon, her brother James Morse, her sister-in-law Clara Downey, and her brothers-in-law Erle Christiansen, Charles Johnson, and Claude Downey.

Gay will be greatly missed by her children Sue (Phil) Adamski, Cindy Christiansen, and Jody (Darren) McCarthy, her grandchildren David Young, Jeff Young, Trina Skinner, Cindy Young, Jerred Papes, Jenna Papes Gilchrist, Jordon Mielke, and Luke McCarthy, 10 great-grandchildren, 9 great great-grandchildren, and her sisters-in-law Doralee VanDyke, Lillian Johnson, Grace Christiansen, and Connie Christiansen.

A Memorial Service will be held for Gay at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, October 16 at the Mason County Reformed Church, with visitation beginning at 2:00 pm. Those who wish to make a memorial contribution are asked to consider her family to assist with expenses.

Please visit Gay’s personal memory page at www.stephensfuneralhome.net to sign her guestbook, or to leave a memory of Gay for her family. Funeral arrangements are being cared for by Wyman Funeral & Cremation Services – Stephens Funeral Home.