Ruth M. Christiansen, 86, of Manti, passed away Aug. 2, 2021 in Nephi.
She was born May 31, 1935 in Castle Dale, to Charles and Ada Fay Jeffs Magnuson. She married Norman Floyd Dennis July 3, 1954. They had four children together: Diane, Michael Norman “Mike,” Boyd Wayne (died 1969), Louise (died 1995).
Norman died Sept. 8, 1961 leaving Ruth a widow with three small children ages 6, 4½, and 3½ years old, as well as her being seven months pregnant with Louise. A year later, on Aug. 27, 1962, Ruth was married to Galen B. Christiansen. He brought two sons, Jerry and Shane, from a previous marriage to the mix, and although they lived with their mother, they were always part of the family also.
Galen spent most of his life in Manti, Utah except for five years when he lived in Salt Lake, where he met Ruth when she had a car problem and went to the shop where he worked. The rest is history as they say. Ruth and all four of her children were extremely blessed and grateful that Galen came into their lives.
We were always important to him and were his kids (even though he made sure not to take Norman’s place as our blood father.) Ruth and Galen were sealed in the Manti LDS Temple in 1972. They went on to add two sons, Gerald and McCrae. The kids said, “We were all raised as one family even though we had different last names.” Galen passed away May 21, 2011.
Ruth was raised in Castle Dale and was the youngest of 10 children. When she was almost nine months old, her mother died. Not being able to take care of a child that young, she was raised by her Aunt Hilma and Uncle Elmer Jeffs (Ruth’s mom’s brother and his wife). They treated her as their own but were abundantly welcoming of Ruth’s biological siblings and their families. She was raised with two families in the same very small town of Castle Dale.
She is survived by her children: Diane D. (Bruce) Jenkins, Eagle Mountain; Mike (Amy) Dennis, Gerald (Jennifer) Christiansen, and McCrae (Linda) Christiansen, all of Manti; Jerry (Debbie) Holbrook, Shane (Michelle) Holbrook, both of Bakersfield, California; and her sister, Elda Brinkerhoff, Grantsville. She also has 18 grandchildren and a bunch of great- grandchildren, all who love her very much.
She was preceded in death by both husbands, two children, one grandson, Kade Christiansen; her parents; Elmer and Hilma Jeffs; eight of her Magnuson siblings, who are Bruce, Twila M. Clark, Jennise “Jennie” M. Butler Kaufman, Valora M. Nolan, Paul, Norma M. Page, and Jack; as well as all of Hilma and Elmer’s children.
Graveside services will be held Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021 at 11 a.m. in the Manti City Cemetery. Friends may call at the Magleby Mortuary in Manti, 195 West 100 North, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Friends and are family welcome. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com.
