Obituary

M. June Christensen Cline

Obituary

M. June Christensen Cline, 81, passed away at Kansas Christian Home in Newton on Wednesday (July 12, 2017). She was born June 2, 1936, in Walla Walla, Washington, to Lawrence C. and Edna E. (Mason) Christensen. She grew up in Walla Walla and attended a one-room school (Thomas School) and graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1953.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center in Portland, Oregon. She worked a year as a pediatric nurse at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago before returning to Walla Walla to serve as a Public Health and School Nurse for seven years. As a lay person, she worked very actively with junior high youth.

In 1966, she entered The Graduate Seminary of Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, and graduated in 1969. She worked as an emergency room nurse to pay the rent and taught Sunday School at Central Christian Church. She helped start a pastoral counseling center in Enid. She was ordained into the Christian ministry in 1972.

Upon graduation, her first position was as Associate Regional Minister of the Christian Church in Pennsylvania, where she worked with CWF, Youth, Christian Education, the camp programming for two camp sites and edited the regional paper. After five and a half years she became Associate Regional Minister of the Christian Church of Mid-America (Missouri) where she served for four and a half years.

In 1981, she completed one unit of Basic and three units of Advanced Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of Missouri Health Sciences Center. She worked there as a Chaplain-counselor for one year. When her pastor suffered a massive heart attack, she agreed to serve as interim senior minister of First Christian Church in Jefferson City, Missouri, until he recovered. June then returned to Walla Walla and served as an Interim Associate Pastor at Central Christian Church for a period of time.

She married Loren Cline in her home church in June of 1984. She returned with him to Jacksonville, Illinois. She accepted the pastorate of First Christian Church in White Hall, Illinois, and served there for 13 years. When Loren retired from his position as Administrator of Barton Stone Christian Home, she retired from her pastorate and became very active in Pilot Club and served on the Boards of Hospice, Jacksonville Area Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse and the pastoral care program of the local hospital.

In 2000, the Clines moved to Newton. June served as Interim Associate Regional Minister of the Christian Church in Kansas, working with the 33 churches in the South Central District. June served in that capacity from January through September of 2001.

June and Loren did a one-month interim in Ulysses together and June did a three-month interim in Galva.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Loren; her father, Lawrence C. Christensen; her mother, Edna E. (Mason) Christensen; brother, Lawrence A. "Bud" Christensen and his wife, Nadine.

Survivors are her sister, Maita Hagedorn of Walla Walla; and many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews with whom she kept in close contact. June enjoyed being called "Grandma" to Loren's 15 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Christian Church of Newton Youth Activities Fund or a charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday (July 20, 2017) at First Christian Church of Newton. One in Walla Walla, Washington, will be held July 29, 2017, at the College Place Presbyterian Church.