The Funeral Service for Blenda Christman, age 96, of Lemmon, will be held at 10:30am Saturday, May 26, 2012 at St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lemmon. Pastor Frank Gantt will officiate with burial in Greenhill Cemetery.

A family service will be held at 7:30pm Friday evening at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon.

Serving as casket bearers are her grandchildren, Mike Redeen, Peggy McKinney, Jeff Redeen, Reed Resner, James Christman, Jaci Christman, Shanna Franzen, Seth Christman, Lindsey Christman, Carlie Kendall, and Shad Christman. All friends are considered honorary bearers.

BLENDA E. SANDS was born to Charles and Selma (Evenson) Sands at Grand Valley, SD on September 14, 1915. She attended Center School at Grand Valley for eight years. She attended high school at Volga, SD for two years and transferred to Lemmon High School where she graduated in 1933.

Blenda worked with her parents at their country store at Grand Valley for a few years following high school graduation. She then worked as a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company for five years.

She was united in marriage to John W. Christman on January 7, 1943 in Baker, MT. They established their home on the Cornish farm northwest of Lemmon in Gilstrap Township. In the spring of 1947, they purchased the Henry Jess farm north of Lemmon where they farmed and ranched raising Registered Hereford Cattle and Quarter Horses.

Blenda was a homemaker and after her family was raised, she worked at Schnell's Livestock Auction. She then served as the Secretary of Grand River Grazing Association until her retirement.

In 1980, they moved into Lemmon. Her husband John passed away in 1993. Blenda continued living in their home until she moved to an apartment in 2002. Blenda was a longtime member of Spring Butte Homemakers Club. She was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church and was a member of St. Luke's Ladies Aid.

Blenda passed away on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at Five Counties Nursing Home in Lemmon where she has resided for the last year and a half.

Her family and friends were an important part of her life. She was known for putting together a big meal for a large group on short notice. She was a wonderful cook and her homemade pies were picture perfect and tasted as good as they looked. Blenda was an avid card player and was always on the lookout for willing card partners.

Surviving family members include 2 daughters and 3 sons-in-law, Betty and Phil Resner, Hettinger, ND; Donna and Doug Kendall, Black Hawk, SD; Don Redeen, Missoula, MT; 2 sons and 2 daughters-in-law, Bob and Linda Christman, Bismarck, ND; Chuck and Kerry Christman, Lemmon, SD; 11 grandchildren, Mike (Noemi) Redeen, Peggy (Tim) McKinney, Jeff (Joan) Reeden, Reed (Carla) Resner, James Christman, Jaci Christman, Shanna (Jordan) Franzen, Seth Christman, Lindsey Christman, Carlie (Nate Andelt) Kendall and Shad Christman; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandson; and three sisters-in-law, Blanche Sands, Lemmon, SD, Esther Wall, Cambridge, MN and Doris Christman, Hettinger, ND.

Blenda was preceded in death by her husband, John W. Christman; two brothers, Byron Sands and Orel Sands; one daughter, Marilyn Redeen; and one son in infancy.

Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 25, 2012 at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and one hour prior to the services at the church on Saturday morning.