Sheila Jo Christensen, daughter of Merlin and Laura (Nohr) Christensen passed away on December 1, 2023, under the care of Hospice at Sanford Hospital in Fargo, ND.

Sheila grew up in the rural Waubun area with her siblings – Kim, David, and Sherri. She attended Waubun Public School, graduating with the class of 1979. Sheila had a very competitive spirit which was exhibited while playing basketball. She also played the drums in band. In their quiet time at home, Sheila loved to take on David in a "friendly" game of basketball.

In the summer of 1979, Sheila married Blair Halvorson of Twin Valley. Together they had a son, Preston Patrick. They later divorced and Sheila and Preston moved to Detroit Lakes where Sheila furthered her education at the Detroit Lakes Vo Tech. She got a job with Becker County Human Services where she worked until she had to retire due to her health.

Sheila was a fighter and was able to beat the first round of leukemia and have some quality time before another type of leukemia set in. She did everything by the book – found a donor for stem cell transplant and started the process again. Sheila spent 6 weeks down at the University and then home to get built up again with transfusion and back again to the U of M for more stem cells. But the chemo, drugs, and radiation did not do their magic this time. When she found out there was nothing more the medical profession could do for her, she went under the care of Hospice and had some quality time with family.

Sheila was a very caring person, always ready to help with whatever project you were working on. No project was too difficult – she used her determination to get the project done. She followed the family tradition of working in the gardens and being able to share what she raised. Her family was very important to her and she took great pride in them and her ancestry. Sheila would usually have a twinkle in her eye which meant to watch out – she might be planning something!

A few years before Sheila retired, she was able to purchase a farm in Popple Grove Township that belonged to her great-grandparents, Henry and Mabel Rue. The farm had many precious memories for her as she used to spend time out there with grandpa and grandma in her youth. Over the years, she was able to do repair work as needed on all the buildings.

Sheila was a big sports fan – football, basketball, hockey, woman's sports, etc. She and Nicki spent many hours watching sports on TV.

Sheila leaves behind her wife, Nicki; son, Preston (Mara) Halvorson; stepson, Kevin (Justin) Jagoe; parents, Merlin and Laura Christensen; grandchildren: Michaela, Tatum, Colton, and Zoie; sister, Sherri (Dale) Rupprecht; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She also leaves behind her two German Shepherds, Lucy and Bear 2, and Chance, a stray dog that came to her place and never left!

Preceding Sheila in death was her sister, Kim Houglum; brother, David; grandparents, Fred & Lillian Nohr and Milo & Verna Christensen; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Sheila has requested that all memorials go to the American Cancer Society or the Human Society. Special thank you to Dr. Gross, all the nurses in the Cancer Unit at Roger Maris, and the doctors and staff at the University of Minnesota. You were all very special to Sheila. Also, a very special thank you to our daughter, Sherri, who was able to stay with Sheila from the time she went into Hospice Care until she passed. Sherri was there 24/7 and helped make Sheila's last days as comfortable as possible.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, December 15, 2023, at 2:00pm, with a visitation starting one hour before, at Circle of Faith United Church of Christ in Waubun, MN.