Geraldine Baxter-Christensen – March 24, 2025

In our deepest sorrow, we share with you our beloved mother and grand mère, Geraldine (Jerri) Baxter-Christensen passed away on Monday, March 24, 2025. Our mother was born on October 16, 1935, in Sioux City, Iowa. The daughter of Edgar W. Baxter and Margaret Helson-Baxter, both of Sioux City, Iowa.

Mom grew up in Sioux City. While attending Sioux City Central High School, she was a member of the French Club, the First Choir, Speech Club, Pep Club, and Dramatics Club. She loved music, playing tennis, ping pong matches, and in later years she was an avid runner. She also earned numerous awards and trophies, for participating in tennis, ping pong, and running events. Mom was always highly active. She never let the dust settle. We loved that about her.

She was a woman of great faith. While growing up in Sioux City, mom was a member of St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, where she was a soprano in the church choir. She was very spiritual and dedicated to her religion and congregation throughout her life. She donated generously to her church (wherever she was living), studied the Bible daily, and inspired us all with her strong belief in Christianity.

After graduating high school, she attended Buena Vista University and Morningside University, to enhance her depth of knowledge in music and the arts. Music was a major focus in her life; she was always reminiscing about her favorite music groups and songs, as well as Bible hymns.

In the 1970s, Mom moved us to Iowa City. She enjoyed working within the Admissions Department at the University of Iowa. She was a very humble and modest person. However, during her retirement party, her former colleagues and boss tearfully expressed how much they would miss working with her. After retirement, she moved to Melbourne, Florida. She loved the warm weather and sunshine. She was active in her local Lutheran church, participated in running events, tennis, and spending time with her neighbors, friends, and family. Her home was always open to houseguests. She generously prepared ‘to-go’ sandwiches with love, for our journey home at the end of our visits with her.

Mom was dedicated to her family. She adored her children, grandchildren, and grand-doggies, Louie, Tosca, Gilligan, Rosie, Ginger, Elle, and Coco, to name a few. She loved to walk her grand doggies, and she was happy to ‘doggy sit’, whenever needed. We knew she would take great care of them with ‘nap time’ and plenty of exercise.

Mom was always available to us, just a phone call away. We will miss those phone conversations with her. Her family was most important to her. She kept in close touch with her sister and brother-in-law, Margery and Larry Truitt, as well as her brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Mary Lu Baxter. Her grandkids fondly recall spending time with their ‘grand mère’ and treasure the great memories with her. She was supportive and loving and could never spend enough time with us.

We are comforted in our faith that our mother will rest in eternal peace. She had strong faith and a very pure heart. We will miss her deeply and cherish all the memories of a lovely, giving, loving, spirited mother. We know she is at peace now and eternally California Dreamin’.

Our mother and grand mère was predeceased by her father, Edgar, and mother, Margaret. She is survived by her children: Linda Howery (Patrick), Laurie Bautz (Patrick), and Mark Christensen (Lisa Carone); her grandchildren: Kellan Williams (Eric), Hollis Morgione (Gabe), Paiton Campbell (Cory), and Courtney Christensen (Michael Subia); her great grandchildren: Emily Christensen, Alexia Christensen, Olivia Morgione, Rowan Morgione, Tallyn Subia, Allison Subia, Ryan Campbell, and Londyn Campbell; her brother, Robert Baxter (Mary Lu), and her sister, Margery Truitt (Larry).

Please join us in a celebration of our mother’s life and eternal peace. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at the Shrine of Remembrance at 1730 E. Fountain Boulevard, Colorado Springs, CO 80910.