Emily June (Blanchette) Christensen

Emily June (Blanchette) Christensen died peacefully September 20, 2019. She was born June 14, 1935 in Bradley, IL and grew up in Kankakee where she attended St. Joseph Seminary for grade and high school, an education she treasured. She was active in all sports but especially enjoyed tennis.

After graduating, Emily worked for Armour Pharmaceuticals in Bradley where she met the love of her life, Bill. They were married Sept. 11, 1954 at St. Rose 0f Lima Church in Kankakee and settled in Bourbonnais, IL until a job change for Bill in 1967 precipitated their move to the East Coast.

They lived in Princeton Jct., NJ where they raised their seven children; all attended St. Paul’s elementary school (Princeton, NJ) and Notre Dame High School (Lawrenceville, NJ). Emily worked as a floral designer in the Chicago area and in Princeton, NJ. She retired from Carter-Wallace in Cranbury where she worked as an executive assistant.

After Bill’s passing in 2009, Emily moved to Sewell, NJ where she lived until September 2018 when she moved in with her daughter Laurie in Indianapolis until her death at home.

She was a loyal Chicago Cubs fan through good times and bad and spoke fondly of her trips to Wrigley Field. She loved all animals but especially her cats, Lucy and Ethel who were with her at the end.

Emily was preceded in death by her husband, William Raymond Christensen (Bill), parents Edmond and Anna (Christensen) Blanchette, six brothers: Robert, Albert, Willard, Eugene, Leon and Paul Blanchette, and three sisters: Dorothy Reardanz, Patsy Morris and Judy Baker. She is survived by her children, Gregory and Mary Ann Christensen of Schnecksville, PA; Laurie Ruzick of Indianapolis, IN; Marcia and Marc Mucelli of Princeton, NJ; Rita and Roland Piccioni of Glassboro, NJ; Randy and Dana Christensen of Huntington, MA; Darrin and Joyce Christensen of Ewing, NJ and Gary and Kathleen Christensen of Morrisville, NC. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Services will be held on October 21st, at Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 306 E. Marsile, Bourbonnais, IL. Emily’s family will receive friends at the Church from 10-11 with Mass at 11am. Burial will be private at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Kankakee, IL next to her husband and many family members.

Memorials in Emily’s name may be made to Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago (mercyhome.org), Good Counsel Homes of Southern Jersey (goodcounselhomes.org) and to Camden County Animal Shelter (Attention: Development Staff, Homeward Bound Pet Adoption Center, 125 County House Road, P.O. Box 475, Blackwood, New Jersey 08012). Masses would also be appreciated.