Name of father Arthur Chirstiansen

Maiden name of mother Helen Haak

MARRIAGE to Shilrey Lou Taggart, 25 Sep 1954, Marion Co., Oregon

ENGAGEMENT:

Miss Shirley Lou Taggart Tells Betrothal

Romantic news being revealed during the Thanksgiving weekend is announcement of the engagement of Miss Shirley Lou Taggart, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack R. Taggart, to Roy Leo Christiansen of Sublimity, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur P. Christiansen of Sublimity. No date has been set for the wedding.

The betrothal was revealed at an evening coffee party Friday at the Taggart home on Rose Street. Guests learned the news when they found a pink chasie cat arranged on the piano with ribbon streamers lettered in gold with the engaged duo's names.The serving table was centered with a bouquet of pink and white chrysanthemums in a silver compote flanked by pink tapers in silver candelabras. Pouring were the bride elect's aunts, Mrs. Weldon Looney and Mrs. Elmer Heman.

Bidden to the announcement party were the misses Margaret Bach, Anita Becker, Teresa Bello, Kathie Bishop, Sandra Bliven, Shirley Coffey, Kathleen Dardis, Beverly Deggeller, Shirley Etzel, Pat Gillis, Meredith Hayes, Donna Kircher, Jacqueline Larson, Donna Lebold, Dona Zenninger, Miriam Meier, Pat Action, Joan Polster, Mary C. Rocque, Delores Schmitz, Barbara Snook, Shirley Tanners, Mary Suing, Betty Jones, Carol Taggart, Josephine Schlageter, Betty Looney, Mary Rauk, Marilyn Palmer, LaVeta Christiansen, Pat Cameron, Delores Wolf, Elaine De Jardin, Mrs. Arthur Christiansen, Mrs. Weldon Looney, Mrs. Elmer Herman, and Mrs. Jack R. Taggart.

The bride to be is a graduate of Sacred Heart Academy and attends Mt. Angel College. Her fiance is a graduate of Sublimity Schools and attended the Oregon College of Education at Monmouth. 

Statesman 29 Nov 1953

WEDDING: Shirley Taggart is Bride of Roy Chirstiansen Saturday

The vivid autumn shades were featured in the floral decoration and dresses of the attendants for the lovely wedding Saturday morning uniting in marriage Miss Shirley Lou Taggart, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack R. Taggart, and Roy Lee Christiansen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur A. Christiansen of Sublimity. The 10 o'clock nuptial mass was performed by the Rev. Jospeh Vanderbeck at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

Soloists were Verne Esch and Wayne Meusey with Mrs. Raymond Barton the organist. The altar was decorated with bouquets of brilliant yellow gladioluses in brass vases.

For her wedding the bride chose a princess style gown of imported Chantilly lace with an Empire waistline, long sleeves and a chapel lenth train. Her full length French illusion veil was caught to a satin headband adorned with seed pearls and sequins. She carried a rosary made of pink Cecil Brunner roses from which hung a white pearl cross, a family heirloom brought from France.

Attendants in Waltz Frocks

Miss Carol Ann Taggart was her sister's honor maid and she wore a waltz gown of crystalette in a redwood shade and carried a bouquet of yellow gladiouluses arranged in the shape of a cross. The bridesmaids were Miss Betty Looney, a cousin of the bride, Miss Patricia Henderson, a cousin of the bride, Miss Beverly Deggeler and Miss Marilyn Palmer of Stayton. Thier crystalette watlz gowns were in a vivid aqua shade and they carried crosses of yellow gladioluses.

Glenda Newman, cousin of the bride, wore an aqua frock and carried yellow gladioluses.

Thomas Christiansen stood with his brother as best man and groomsmen were Arthur Christiansen, Jr., also a brother, Donald Toepfer, John and James Gries. ushers were Leonard Hendricks, Theodore Highberger and Bernard Lulay.

For her daughter's nuptials Mrs. Taggart selected a navy blue velvet sheath dress with matching hat and accessroi8es. her flowers were white stepaholtis. Mrs. Christiansen attended her son's marriage in a rose crepe dress with dusty blue hat and corsage of deep pink roses.

Assist at Reception

A reception followed the rites at the Knights of Columus Hall. Pouring were the bride's aunts, Miss Marguerite Looney and Mrs. David Looney. Cutting the cake was Mrs. Herbert Smith, the bridegroom's aunt, and at the punch bowl were Mrs. Elmer Heman and Mrs. Dale Newman, aunt of the bride. Assisting were Mrs. John S. Lochead, Mrs. Joseph Schlageter, Mrs. George Corrigan, Miss Mary Hauk, cousin of the bride, who passed the guest book, Misses Josephine Schlageter, Dolores Riley, Patricia Orton, Mary Etzel, Marian Meier, Margaret Bach, Donna Lenninger, Shirley Coffey, Meredith Hayes and Kathleen Dardis.

When the newlyweds left on their honeymoon to Canada the new Mrs. Christiansen changed to a navy blue suit with a large collar, a pink hat and corsage of pink rosebuds. After October 10, the couple will be a home in Salem at 438 N. 22nd St. 

Statesman 26 Sep 1954, pg 14

Roy L. Christiansen

SALEM - Roy Leo Christiansen was born 7-9-1934, and passed away 3-28-2020. He was born on a farm outside of Ainsworth, Nebraska to Arthur and Helen Christiansen. He was the middle son between his older brother, Art and younger brother, Tom.

Roy graduated from St. Boniface High in Sublimity, Oregon. He received his Bachelor degree from Oregon College of Education, followed by a Masters degree in the mid 1960's.

He married Shirley Lou Taggart in 1954, and the two enjoyed 65 years of marriage until her untimely death last April. They had six children: Daniel (who passed away in 2019), Kevin Teresa, James, Marie and Jane. Roy and Shirley were later blessed with eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Roy taught English grammar, history, and social studies for many years at St. Mary's Elementary School, Stayton Elementary School, Staytoon Middle School, Waldo Junior High School and McKay High School.

To his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was a kind and patient teddy bear, known affectionately as Papa Roy, the offical distributor of Drumstick ice cream cones (or "nutty buddies" as he called them), Thomas Kemper sodas, chocolate bars, hearty laughs and warm embraces. If you were to thumb through his many photo albums, you'd be hard pressed to find a picture of him and his grandchildren where he wasn't holding them proudly in his arms with a closed-lip smile or asleep in his recliner with at least one small grandchild also asleep in his lap.

He enjoyed reading, watching sports, keeping everything in his house and yard meticulously maintained, adhering to a rigid daily routine, and playing cards (particularly Shanghai) with his family for hours on end. He was a steak and potatoes kind of guy - no fluff or extravagance needed. He was never one to show off. He gave it to you straight and wasn't one tp beat around the bush. He stiuck to the things he liked and appreciated the simple pleasures in life completely. He had a great disdain for uncalled traveling violations in the NBA, laziness or self-pitying attitudes, vegetables that werent covered in Ranch dressing or cheese (or both), and poor execution of proper English grammar.

A formal funeral service has not been planned out of an abundance of caution and concern for public safety due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The family would like to thank Home Instead, especially Caroline, for assisting in his care the last few years, as well as Serenity Hospice in the last few weeks of his life. Services provided by Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.

Statesman Journal, 26 Apr 2020, pg C5

SPC Authorization for Burial

Oregon Marriage Index

Statesman 29 Nov 1953, pg 3

Statesman 26 Sep 1954, pg 14

SJ 26 Apr 2020, pg C5