Wila Mae Christensen
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Wila Mae (Bill) Boadwine Mohror Christensen (91) passed away May 13, 2020 surrounded by family. Wila Mae was born July 28, 1928 to Doris and William Boadwine. She lived and attended school in Hayti, SD, graduating high school in 1946. She was the younger sister to Irdene Bonzer. Following high school, she worked at the Brookings County extension office. She attended Hennepin General Hospital in Minneapolis and graduated as an X-ray technician in 1949. For the next 34 years she worked as a laboratory/X-ray technician in Minneapolis, Lake Preston, Brookings, Estelline and Watertown. Mom developed long and lasting friendships while working in these communities. Wila Mae and Milford Mohror married in 1951. They lived in Minneapolis until the death of Milford's father which brought them back to the Mohror farm near Badger in 1952. New to farm life and working at the hospital, Wila Mae (Mom) was always in motion. She was a farm wife and a full time X-ray/laboratory technician, always on call for both. Mom and Dad were active at Badger Lutheran Church. She was in the choir and was a Sunday school superintendent and teacher for many years. Milford was prone to spontaneous invitations of friends to come to dinner. Mom may have just come home from a long hospital shift, but she could always quickly change gears and become the welcoming hostess in short order. Together Wila Mae and Milford raised four daughters on the farm and on the south side of Lake Poinsett at the family cabin - Jill MohrorConard (Bill), Fox Island, WA, Robin Williams (Joel), rural Badger, Lori Williams (Jim), Mission Hill, SD and Kristi Hunt (Bill), Roanoke, VA. Milford passed in 1979 and Mom remained on the family farm. In 1987, Mom married Holger (Bud) Christensen and together they shared a large family of children, grandchildren and great-grand children. Bill and Bud lived 32 years in Badger before moving to Arlington in 2019. They spent their winters as snow-birds with their close friends in the Sarkis community in Mesa, AZ. Together they loved to dance, golf, shoot pool and play card games. In retirement Mom honed her artistic talents with painting and drawing lessons. As her passion progressed, she entered several art competitions and shows over the years. As Mom and Bud's family grew she created portraits of her grand children and portraits of newly married couples as her special gift to them. She participated in the Badger American Legion Auxiliary, laughed with the local Red Hats group, and golfed with the ladies at the Lake Region Golf Course. Mom loved the people in her life. She was always quick to smile, laugh and have fun. When reflecting on her life, Mom was often heard to say: I've had two wonderful lives! Wila Mae is survived by her husband, Bud Christensen of Arlington, her four daughters, Bud's three children, Alan (Teresa) Christensen, Kathy (Richard) Bolt and Patricia (Duane) Duerr, her sister Irdene (Bob) Bonzer of Hecla, SD and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Doris and William Boadwine, an infant sister Maurene, and her husband, Milford Mohror. A celebration of her life is planned for late July.