Christine graduated from Gilbert High School in 1986 and went on to study at Mesa Community College and then to Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, California—she had aspirations to become a nurse. In 1990, she decided to take a break from her studies for a time and chose to serve a sign language mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Antonio, Texas. Upon her return from the mission, she picked up her studies again in Mesa for a time while working as a receptionist at her father’s company.

In November 1995, Christine became ill and was ultimately diagnosed with Cocci Meningitus. While the next 30 years of her life would be marked by the ups and downs of this disease and would in many ways shape the rest of her life, Christine will be remembered for so much more than the resulting disabilities. She will be remembered for her indomitable perseverance, her endless patience, her contagious smile, and her joy for living. She absolutely loved food; dessert was her favorite meal! She also thoroughly enjoyed exercise and could be found walking all over the greater Gilbert-Mesa area. She loved to window shop and buy gifts for her family and friends. She loved to chat with her favorite people and would often be found with phone in hand checking in with a loved one. She enjoyed traveling to new places and especially loved the beach; but no location was dearer to her heart than Finland. Finnish sisu, sauna, pulla, and Fazer chocolate were in her soul. Christine loved birthdays and never missed one—she was known as the family Rain Man of birthdays, she never forgot a birthdate! And above all, she loved her family, and she adored her nieces and nephews—they were her world!

Christine was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on December 4, 1976, and was confirmed on December 5th by her father. This was the start of a lifelong love of the gospel. She eventually took out her endowment in the Mesa Arizona Temple on May 25, 1990. She loved the temple and understood its importance in the formation of eternal families. She knew being worthy to enter the House of the Lord was important, and not even sickness could keep her from renewing her temple recommend in the last week of her life.

On January 17, 2026, Christine quietly went to sleep for the last time, finally succumbing to a year-long battle with escalating health issues. Christine will be forever loved by her parents, Garry and Anneli, her siblings, her many nieces and nephews, and her extended family.

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