A Celebration of Life will be held at Glenwood Community Church on Friday, April 24
Lucille “Erma” Christenson was born in Flint, Michigan on April 22, 1924, to Archie and Minnie Christenson. Erma was the oldest child, having four sisters: Dorothy Flynn, Betty Kimosh, Lois Prevo, and Shirley Woodbeck. When her father became ill, Erma had to quit school during ninth grade to run the small grocery store and gas station next door to their home in the rural area of Davison, Michigan. She interacted with salesmen and customers as well as keeping the books. She taught herself to play the accordion, the drums and the piano. During World War II Erma worked as a “Rosy the Riveter” gal at AC Spark Plug in Flint, Michigan.
A fellow named Francis Eugene “Gene” Madore lived up the road from Erma’s home and store. After serving in the Army as a fighter pilot during World War II, Gene came home and asked her out on their first date, which was an airplane ride that he piloted and then gave the controls to Erma and said it was her turn to fly it. Erma accepted his marriage proposal a few months later, and on August 10, 1946 they began a marriage of 73 years. They raised a family of eight children: Robert, Susan (Bardzik), Steven, David, Christopher, Nancy (Wood), Edward, and Laurie (Dalhover).
Erma and Gene prayed each night for their children and attended the Catholic church. Both Erma and Gene accepted Jesus as their Savior in1974 and continued to grow in their walk with the Lord. Her favorite Scripture is Psalm 23.
They moved to California in 1968. Erma achieved a long-held dream of earning her high school diploma. She worked several different jobs during her life: a mail carrier who drove the rural backroads in Michigan, a supervisor of cashiers for two different department stores, an office secretary for a chiropractor. She worked in the personnel dept. for the city of Fullerton, CA. She and Gene both got their realtor’s licenses and sold homes in California.
In 1991 Gene and Erma relocated to Vancouver, WA.
In her later years Erma would often say, “I love you” to everyone and posted birthday greetings on Facebook.
Erma was predeceased in death by her 98-year-old husband, Gene, in 2019, and her eldest son, Bob, in 2024. Erma would have been 102 years old April 22, of this year. She leaves behind seven of her children, 23 grandchildren, over 34 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Glenwood Community Church:
Date: Friday, April 24, 2026
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Glenwood Community Church, 12201 NE 72nd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98686
