Melva M. Christensen, 95 years, of Oakland, Nebraska, passed away Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at Oakland Heights, in Oakland.

Funeral Service will be Tuesday, December 1, 2015, 2 pm, at the First United Methodist Church in Oakland, Nebraska with Rev. Joel Rathbun, officiating.  Visitation Tuesday at the church one hour prior to service.   Burial in Lyons Cemetery, Lyons, Nebraska.   Memorials to First United Methodist Church – Oakland.

Pelan funeral Services Oakland in charge of arrangements.

Melva Maxine (Beck) Christensen passed away Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at Oakland Heights, in Oakland, Nebraska, at the age of 95.

Melva was born on her family’s farm east of Rosalie, NE, on December 9, 1919, to Lee “Doc” and Pina (Barada) Beck. She was raised on the farm and she attended the local Parks Rural Grade School through the 10th grade, then graduated from Lyons High School in 1937.

Melva married Don Christensen on February 5, 1939 and lived on the Christensen family farm as a homemaker and helping with the farming operation. In retirement, Melva and Don moved to a home in Oakland; then, for the last few years of her life resided at Oakland Heights.

She enjoyed participating in many local organizations in the community holding offices in most of them and traveling to state, national, and international meetings. She was especially involved with the Home Extension Clubs serving as president of her local group, the Nebraska State Club, and Citizenship Chairperson for the National Extension Club. She was a life member of the Associated Country Women of the World. She was a Township Committee Woman and served on the election board for many years. She was a member of First United Methodist Church receiving a life membership pin from the Women’s Society for services in her church as a Sunday school teacher, church board member, and president of the women’s group. Melva was also the first women to serve on the Oakland City Council.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Pina Beck; her husband, Donald; daughter-in-law, Shirley Christensen; and multiple sisters and brothers-in-law.

Melva is survived by her two sons, Fred (Sandi) of Lyons, NE, Jim of Bellevue, NE; two grandsons, Graham of Omaha, NE, Max (Annie) of Lyons; two great granddaughters, Natalie and Avery; sisters; Mary Lee Slaughter, Eva Weeks; brother, Tom (Betty) Beck all of Lyons; brother-in-law, T.J. “Junior” Appleby; and a host of nieces and nephews.