Russell Christensen, 65, a longtime social studies teacher at St.Louis Park High School, died of cancer at his home in Bloomington on July 29, 1994.
“The students of the class of 1962 invited him to give a speech at their 25th reunion because they said he was their favorite teacher,” said his wife, Beverly. “He was even the best man at a student’s wedding. He was a real friend.”
Russ taught one year in Sioux City, Iowa before starting at St. Louis Park High School in 1954. He retired in 1992 and taught a world civilizations class at Anoka-Ramsey Community College for the past two years and earlier at the University of Minnesota.
In 1960 Christensen received the Star Tribune’s outstanding teacher award in world affairs, and he was one of 20 Minnesota teachers to travel to Japan through the U.S.-Japan Foundation in 1985. He was a five-time winner for best educational teaching unit from the Minnesota Council for Economic Education and won on the national level in 1980.
Russell was born in Minneapolis and was graduated from the old Marshall High School. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social studies education from the University of Minnesota. He also received a master’s degree in international relations from Harvard University and studied in Japan.
He enjoyed acting in community theater and helped found the St. Louis Park Community Theater in the mid-1960s. For the past 15 years he hosted an award-winning cable television show called “Insights”.
Besides his wife, Russell is survived by a daughter, Stacey Christensen, of Bloomington, and a son, Bradley, of Eden Prairie. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, August 2, 1994 at Werness Brothers Funeral Chapel, Bloomington, with visitation there from 5 to 8 p.m. today.
Bill Spurlock
World Geography. An elective class so often used for that one final credit needed for graduation. But this "filler" class was different - thanks to Russ Christensen. Several of us purposely signed up for this senior year class because we had heard it was not your average "filler" class, and it wasn't - thanks to Russ Christensen. Mr. C always displayed an infectious enthusiasm for what he was teaching, and that enthusiasm rubbed off on his students. He seemed glad to be there, and glad that you were there. Always engaged in his lesson for the day, always engaged in the students he was presenting it to. When it was time to be serious and studious, we were serious and studious; when it was time for a little fun, we had a little fun - this "filler" class was often the highlight of the school day. He always had a big smile for anyone at anytime - in class, in the hall, after hours. Anyone contemplating a career in teaching had an excellent role model in Mr. C. I know I did. You were The Man, Mr. C!
Hank Finn
I always thought of myself as being a good kid. Dad, a WWII Marine pretty much had that embedded into my mind. I didn't dare go against the rules. So when Mr. Christensen gave me my one and only 1/2 hour of detention, you can imagine my emotions at the time. And you know what? I was standing at my desk stretching when the bell rang, thats all, honest! Ok, so if I had it to do all over again, I would stretch sitting down. (How long does it take to have detention taken off your record? Anybody know?)