Richard Christenson

Richard Peter Christenson passed away peacefully on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Bandera, Texas.

Born in Clay Center, Kansas, and raised in Wakefield, Richard was known for his dry wit, quiet strength, and the hands-on way he showed love.

He could fix almost anything—and if he couldn’t, he’d find a workaround. His hands built skylines. His spirit built a legacy of humor, humility and resilience.

A 1959 graduate of Wakefield High School, Richard was a proud Wakefield Bomber who played football, basketball, ran track, and participated in drama. His 1957 football team, which finished with a perfect 10–0 record and still holds school records, was inducted into the Wakefield High School Hall of Fame in 2024.

Richard was a professional ironworker who spent the majority of his career as a glazier with Glaziers Union Local 27, serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. His work took him across the country—from Houston, Waco, and Wichita to New York, Indianapolis, and Chicago—where he contributed to landmark projects including O’Hare International Airport, Navy Pier, the Chicago Sun-Times Building, and Water Tower Place.

In the early 1970s, while working in Chicago on the Sears Tower, Richard met Toni Lee Fritz, who would later become his wife. Toni’s father affectionately nicknamed him “Kansas Flash” for his spirited charm. The couple briefly returned to Kansas before moving to Harvard, Illinois, in 1979, where they built a home and raised their daughter.

From 1980 to 1995, Richard worked for Window Walls alongside longtime friend Larry Wegman, helping shape the skyline through commercial glass installation. Later, he moved to Texas, where he continued glazing with Thad Ziegler Glass in San Antonio

In his later years, Richard partnered with his brother Raymond on a sawmill project in Fredericksburg, where the two crafted outdoor furniture together—yet another way Richard put his hands and heart into everything he built.

In 2014, Richard suffered a stroke that left him physically limited. As a southpaw, losing the use of his left side was especially difficult, but he adapted with quiet grit. Even through the challenges of his final decade, he never lost his childlike playfulness, his sharp wit, or his love for being present with those who mattered most.

Richard had a lifelong love of animals. He always had pets—and usually more than a few. He was a true rescuer, known for taking in strays, helping trap and fix feral colonies, and sharing his home with a rotating crew of beloved creatures. He had a special fondness for Chinese pugs, and his gentle spirit made him a magnet for animals in need. He was fueled by Dr Pepper, loyalty, and grit.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar Cornelius and Edith Matilda Lawson Christenson, and his sisters, Wilma Mae and Irma Louise.

He is survived by his brother, Raymond Christenson, and his wife, Caryl; his son, Courtney Christenson, and daughter-in-law, Shelly; and his daughter, Kimberly Christenson. He was a grandfather to Cassandra Vinson, Cameron Christenson, Caitline Christenson, and Harper Lillian Brown, and a great-grandfather to four.

Richard was previously married to Rosemary Hess, and later to Toni Lee Fritz Christenson, who passed away on January 26, 2018. Richard and Toni will be laid to rest together in a shared urn in Leonardville, Kansas, near generations of the Lawson and Christenson families.

Graveside services will be held at 11 am on Monday, May 25, 2026 at the Leonardville Cemetery.

Please wear something K-State Purple or colorful, comfortable, and fun. Richard’s motto was simple: “Relax. Enjoy life. Don’t take things so seriously.”

One Last Laugh with Richard – A Celebration of Life will be held in conjunction with the Lawson Family Reunion at the Leonardville Community Building following the service. A catered lunch will be served at 12:00 pm. Please bring a dessert, a story and your best jokes.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Richard’s memory to Iron Gait Percherons Draft Horse Sanctuary 114 Hancock Mountain Trail, Waleska, GA 30183 https://igprescue.org. Richard always dreamed of owning a team of dapple gray Percheron draft horses. Though he didn’t get to fulfill that dream in this lifetime, we invite those who wish to honor his memory to help care for the magnificent animals he so deeply admired. (Please mark your donation “In Memory of Richard Christenson.”) Memorials may also be left in care of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home.