1 years old Earl worked for his Dad in Olav's industrial battery business. He met Shirley Mason at a Lutheran young adults group in the fall of 1958. By early 1959 they knew they were meant for each other. However, Earl would be turning 21 years old in March of 1959 and would be drafted, no doubt, into the Army. He preferred to enlist in the Air Force because of his interest in and desire to be around airplanes. He was inducted into the Air Force March 2, 1959 and left Omaha for basic training. June 18th, Earl surprised his family and Shirley by arriving in Omaha for a week of leave. Shirley was to go out-of-town that weekend to serve as Maid of Honor in her YWCA Dormitory roommate's wedding, She checked with the bride's Mother to confirm that they would be able to accommodate Earl as well. It was okay and Earl traveled with the group of young people from Omaha who were attending the wedding. On Saturday morning, the day of the wedding, the bride's mother was busy in the kitchen of her farm home preparing a supper of ham, salads, etc. for close family and friends after the afternoon wedding and reception. She was frustrated by the lack of help from the bride, her only daughter. She knew that Earl and Shirley planned to marry in a couple of years. She turned to Shirley who was preparing potato salad and said, "When you and Earl get married don't go through all of this, elope." She did not know that Earl had talked to Shirley during the ride to Belgrade, Nebraska about wanting to get married while he was home on leave. Well on the return trip to Omaha Shirley told Earl that she would marry him during his leave if he still wanted to do so. He frequently teased her over the years that she begged him to marry her. Shirley says that she did not do any begging. They did elope and were married by a Justice of the Peace in Glenwood, Iowa on the evening of June 24, 1959. June 28th Earl had to travel back to Air Force Basic Training. Shirley remained in Omaha where she had been employed for 2 years. It was difficult for military wives to find employment when their husbands were not yet assigned to a base. Earl completed Basic Training shortly before Thanksgiving in 1959 and returned to Omaha. He and Shirley traveled to Grand Forks Air Force Base near Grand Forks, North Dakota soon after Thanksgiving Day. They resided for a few days in the barracks reserved for married couples until they located a place to live. Earl's main duty was to maintain the aircraft communication systems. During the Bay of Pigs situation his sleep was frequently interrupted by a phone call to travel to the base (16 miles away) to practice loading dummy bombs. Daughter, Cynthia Ann, was born in Grand Forks. At the end of Earl's term of enlistment the family moved to Omaha. Earl again worked for his Dad but after 9 months searched for a job providing a better income and benefits. IBM hired him as a Service Engineer in 1964 even though they did not have a position open at that time. However, Earl possessed natural electro-mechanical abilities which were reflected in the test results of the tests taken at IBM. They definitely wanted him to work for their company. He was promoted to Field Manager in 1969, Earl had a desire to own his own battery business. So he and Shirley began Battery Service Company as a part-time business in 1970. Earl left IBM in 1971 to operate the company full-time. The company built and serviced industrial batteries used in electric forklifts. October 1975, Earl was diagnosed with atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease) at the age of 37 ½. Open heart surgery was performed. The fall of I978 it was determined that it would be best to sell the business. It would be difficult for Shirley, if Earl became unable to be involved in the business, to operate it without Earl's technical expertise. Then Earl and Shirley obtained employment elsewhere. Earl's new job was with DataCard Corporation as a Customer Service Engineer. This company manufactured credit cards with the mag-stripping (magnetic strip). Earl's second open heart surgery took place in June, 1981. His third open heart surgery in February, 1975 included replacing the mitral heart valve with a titanium mechanical valve from St, Jude. This recovery was slow and Earl's health required him to retire early. The summer of 2016, Earl experienced considerable weakness and good strength did not return. After Christmas of 2017 his health began to further decline. Earl and Shirley enjoyed traveling which included 5 Caribbean cruises, an Alaskan cruise (Dog sled ride at a dog sled camp located on a glacier), a Panama Canal cruise (playing with dolphins in Curacao), 3 trips to Mexico, a trip to San Andres an island off the coast Columbia, South America and a trip to Iceland, Norway and Sweden, as well as trips within the United States. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 1984 with a trip to Hawaii that year. Also drove to Lake Michigan several times to fish for salmon. The states bordering Lake Michigan stock it with salmon. They have been very blessed and thankful that God made it possible for them to support children through Christian Children's' Fund, St. Jude and Christian missionaries serving in foreign countries. Earl is preceded in death by his parents, Olav and Ava (Anderson) Christiansen; sisters, Arlene Sargent and Jane Christiansen. Survived by wife, Shirley (Mason) Christiansen; daughter, Cyndi (Dennis) Norrgard; grandson, Mason (Tanill) Walters; great grandchildren, Willow and Greyson Walters; sister, Nancy (John) Motzkus; nieces, nephew, other relatives and friends. SERVICE: 10:30 A.M., Thursday, September 20, 2018 at Forest Lawn Funeral Home. VISITATION: 1 hour prior to Services. Burial in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Open Door Mission, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.