Charles Christenson

Charles W. (Charlie) Christenson dies at age 85

Charlie Christeson died peacefully at home on May 23, 2024 with family at his side. He met his best friend and wife, Susan, 63 years ago through a mutual friend and were inseparable from then on. Their courtship and engagement took place during the construction of The Space Needle and the Century 21 World's Fair opening in 1962. 

The Bainbridge Island contractor and owner of Christenson Homes was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He was predeceased by his parents Waldo B.Christenson and Eleanor H.Christenson, both Seattle architects, his brother Jim Christenson, sister Nancy Reeves and his beloved daughter Samantha. 

Charlie attended Garfield High School in Seattle where he played football, being their all-city and all-state quarterback. His jersey number was 85 (his grandson has it tattooed on his arm) which became a prominent number to him the rest of his life. Charlie also played football at the University of Washington where he majored in mechanical engineering. By age 12 Charlie began a lifelong obsession with the internal combustion V-8 engine. After taking apart many small household motors, he progressed to Ford and Chevrolet engines in his parents' garage often displacing the family car. By age 14, with money earned from a paper route and mowing lawns, he rented his own garage where he kept his tools, car parts and engine blocks. There he rebuilt and began restoring a 1934 Ford Coupe. Those days he walked from his Capitol Hill neighborhood to the old St. Vincent de-Paul at the south end of Lake Union out on the docks. Car parts were cheap there but it was a long walk to carry them home.

During high school and college, Charlie worked in a cabinet shop where his dad encouraged him to learn "finish carpentry". Later he also indulged his fascination and obsession with engines by working in Jack Connor's Speed Shop in Ballard, rebuilding engines, some for racing celebrities. During his college years he acquired one of his favorite cars, a 1955 red Austin-Healey, in which he put a rebuilt 360ci Chevrolet engine with a blower (supercharger). He also was part of a team that built and raced a dragster at the NHRA Pacific Raceway. He then joined the Navy Air stationed at Sand Point Naval Air Station, Seattle and Naval Air Station Memphis, Tennisee. Much to the dismay of his family, Charlie thought boxing was not just a sport but also an art form. In Junior High and High School he took boxing lessons in the church basement, given by a parishioner Captain M. Charlie turned out for the boxing team in the Navy. One opponent that he thought would be a pushover, knocked him out cold. However he did once spar with light heavyweight Eddie Cotton. 

Charlie and Susan were married in 1962 eventually buying a 1910 era house on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle. There they began to raise their family. From a factory on the east coast Charlie bought a large Stanley Engine Balancer. He soon opened Automotive Balancing Specialtists. His customers wanted balanced precision in their engine parts from crankshafts to piston pin-locks. Their expectations were no engine noise, reliability and more horse power.  After eight years Charlie became restless and wanted more freedom to spend with his family and of course more racing. This time Susan influenced him to build a limited hydroplane to race because it was more fun and more spectator and family friendly. So he did just that. He flipped his boat during a race. He then instantly became a member of the "Overboarders Club", sponsored by the "SIRA", Seattle Inboard Racing Association. 

Charlie had apprenticed several summers with a prominent builder/contractor, plus over the years he had been guided and taught by his architect dad. He applied for a contractor's license and attended school receiving a realtor's license. He had a business association with Suburban Lands of Issaquah. In 1968 he started Christenson Homes, specializing in Victorian and Traditional homes and remodels. He built in Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue, Edmonds, Poulsbo, Eastern Washington and Bainbridge Island among others. 

In 1978 Charlie and his family moved to Bainbridge with dogs, cats, rabbits and a horse, towing a hydroplane and a Kawasaki Big Horn motorcycle, which he rode as a dirt bike. Life has been an adventure for Charlie. He was big and husky, and oblivious to his loud voice and laugh (even though having been "shushed" by his mother, wife, children, sister and brother over the years), fun, funny, kind, generous, reliable, a hard worker and had many projects going at the same time. He was adored by his family, many close friends and all who knew him. Over the years he has built everything for his daughters from Barbie beds, dollhouses to playhouses in the trees, with glass windows, electricity, beds, etc. He also built a tree house for his grandchildren. They all loved going places and traveling with their "Poppy" including several trips to Disneyland. His grandson, who has been crazy for cars and taking them apart almost since birth. 

Charlie has nurtured this fascination for cars with his grandson. All have exclaimed that Abe was a regular "chip off the old block". Now Abe uses his grandfather's garage for all his cars and parts and tools. After two hip replacements and two knee replacements Charlie finally realized "no more racing". So he recruited younger men to race his Norton and Harley Davidson motorcycles under the number 85. Charlie was a once a year hunter packing in on his horse to a camp in Montana or a friend's cabin in northeastern Washington. He has been a member of The Bainbridge Sportsman Club where he was a trap shooter. Among his favorite things were music from classical to country, Maggie, his black labrador, french lop rabbits, Ron, his cat of 17 years (who still looks for him), his green Ford truck, cookies, looking for fossils in eastern Washington, including the Blue Lake Rhino and Dry Falls, searching out Victorian houses with his wife, and Buffalo boots custom made in Montana. Of all his travels his very favorite place to return to was the Clearwater River on the Olympic Peninsula. He had wonderful childhood memories there, camping with family and fishing with his dad. 

Charlie is survived by his wife Susan, his daughter Sarah Christenson, his granddaughters Susannah Schaeffer (Aaron Hemion), K Yarbrough (Dan), and grandson Abram Charles Markillie. 

For those who choose, memorials may be sent to St. Barnabas Church, Bainbridge Island or the Wounded Warriors Project which Charlie had supported for many years in memory of three friends and his father-in-law who was a WWII wounded warrior.

 A memorial and Celebration of Life will be announced in the near future.

Arrangements have been made by Cook Family Funeral Home of Bainbridge Island, WA.