NORTH JUDSON – Raymond Curtis Christian, 76, of North Judson, passed away on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at Memorial Hospital in South Bend surrounded by his family.
He was born on July 18, 1942, in Lamar County, Ala., to Noble and Mary Francis McCool Christian. He was married on Sept. 16, 1984, in North Judson, to Susan Liechty, a former resident of Berne.
At an early age, the family moved to Warsaw and he graduated from Warsaw High School in 1961. During his high school career, he participated in band and also ran cross country.
On Dec. 19, 1963, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served in Greenland and following this deployment, he transferred to the USAR Control Group in St. Louis, Mo., and was honorably discharged on Dec. 18, 1969. He was a member of American Legion Post 92 in North Judson.
He retired in 2004 after 38 years of service with Buckeye Pipeline Co.
He loved spending time with family, especially his grandchildren, along with traveling to Berne, Alabama and Canada for family reunions. Monday nights would find him at the consignment auction in Walkerton, where he purchased boxes of bread and various bakery items. He donated these to the senior center as well as the North Judson Food Pantry. He and his wife also delivered Meals on Wheels and enjoyed occasional lunches at the North Judson Nutrition Site.
He enjoyed spending time in nature, whether it be working in the garden or doing yard work. Highlights of his year were the annual fishing trip every spring to Kentucky Lake with his buddies and deer hunting in the fall.
He was a man of few words but would give you the shirt off his back and if something needed to be done all you had to do was ask.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Benjamin (Beth) Christian of Noblesville and Matthew (Andrea) Christian of Elkhart; two sisters, Mary Lou Kiser of Warsaw and Verla Harter of Mentone; sister-in-law, Sharon (Steve) Wells of Garrett; brother-in-law, Michael D. Liechty, Geneva; grandson, Severus Ray Christian; two granddaughters, Sydney Ann and Lilli Ann Christian; along with many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law and mother-in-law, E. Gordon and Myrtle Kolb Liechty; three brothers-in-law: Dr. Donald Liechty, James “Jim” Vanlandingham and Gerald Kiser; niece, Kelli Kiser; and great-niece, Taera Josel Racheal Kiser.
Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. (Central Time) on Sunday, May 12, and one hour prior to the 11 a.m. (Central Time) funeral service on Monday, May 13, at O'Donnell Funeral Home, 302 Lane St., North Judson.
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Memorials to Starke County Youth Club, P.O. Box 442, Knox, IN 46534; or the North Judson-Wayne Township Public Library, 208 Keller Ave., North Judson, IN 46366.
