Nels “Chris” Andrew Christensen, 65, of Harrisburg, passed away May 12, 2016, at Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls.
The funeral service was Monday, May 16, at The Ransom Church in Sioux Falls with Pastor Cody Tupps officiating. Funeral arrangements were with Heritage Funeral Home of Sioux Falls.
Nels Andrew Christensen was born April 20, 1951, to Paul and Leila Christensen. He grew up in Wessington Springs, where he graduated from high school in 1969.  He attended SDSU, and then joined the SD National Army National Guard. On June 9, 1972, he participated in the emergency duty for the Rapid City Flood. In August 1972, he went to work for the SD Highway Patrol, where he became South Dakota’s youngest State Trooper and had assignments in Corsica, Aberdeen and Deadwood. Nels commanded several Army engineer units in Woonsocket, Rapid City, Deadwood, Sturgis, Belle Fourche, Spearfish and Custer, obtaining the rank of Captain.
On April 20, 1977, he married Debra Kay Meyer in Sturgis. They made their home in Deadwood and Custer, where Nels became a deputy at the Custer County Sheriff’s Department. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in criminal justice in December 1995.
In 1995, the Christensen family moved to Beresford, where he worked for the Beresford Police Department and earned his master’s in public administration from USD.   Following retirement from law enforcement, he worked as a computer programmer for Gateway Computers, and in January of 2004, Nels was hired as the city administrator of Mobridge.
Nels’ life loves included his family and friends, the yearly Christensen family pheasant hunts, reading a great Western novel, watching old Western movies, The Denver Broncos, SDSU Jackrabbits and both Christian and country music.
He is survived by his wife, Deb Christensen of Harrisburg; a daughter, Kellie (Jason) Steinmetz of Bailey, Colo.; two sons; Cody (Mary) Christensen of Brookings, and Tyler Christensen of Santa Barbara, Calif; four grandchildren; his brothers, Kim Christensen of Wessington Springs, and Paul (Sandi) Christensen of Rapid City; sister-in-law, Margaret Christensen of Woonsocket; in-laws, Jim and Marlys Meyer; brother and sister-in-law, Bryce and Sandi Sigman of Sturgis; step-mother, Carol Christensen of Custer; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Nels was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Leila Christensen; and his brother, Hans Christensen.