Christina Marie Anderson Krizek made her final journey on the evening of 2/24/24, under a full moon after a 6-year battle with dementia. She was surrounded with love in her final days and passed peacefully. She may not have lived an extraordinary life, but she lived her life extraordinarily.

Christina was born on August 21, 1952, in the wholesome town of Wausau, Wisconsin, the fifth child of a music teacher and school principal. She described her childhood as idyllic and would later say if she could relive any decade, it would be the 1950s minus the racism. She was a self-described tom boy who kept her hair short and wore a coon skin cap for neighborhood music performances or games of kick the can. She was small for her age (and would never exceed five feet in height), yet her intellect and practicality made her appear much older. She had a sharp aptitude for math and quickly surpassed her peers.

Christina attended Northcentral Technical College for two years while she saved enough money to attend college at UW-Madison. She graduated from Madison in the class of 1975 with a master’s degree in pharmacy during a time when female pharmacists were rare. Christina always adored animals and provided exceptional care to myriad pets: Penny, Taffy, Nibby, Gandolf, Sampson, Abigail, Bart, Chloe, Syndney, Rudy, Luther, Georgia and Ernest. Anyone who met Chris knew how cherished her animals were. She also loved music, specifically rock and roll, and attended numerous live shows including Carlos Santana, Eagles, Jackson Browne, Whitney Houston, James Taylor, and Paul McCartney.

She met her husband, John, at the L-Mart pharmacy in Menomonie, Wisconsin when he stopped in to pick up a prescription for a bad case of bronchitis. She carefully explained how to use the medication, but he did not hear a word, he was so enamored with her beauty. A comical situation ensued when John’s best friend set him up on a date with the wrong “blond pharmacist” who happened to be Chris’ roommate. Eventually, John and Chris found each other, and on Christmas 1978 he proposed to her atop the highest hill in Dunn County. The two remained partners and best friends to the end.

Christina worked as a pharmacist for nearly 40 years and was known for her exceptional attention to detail. She was a fierce advocate for her patients, negotiating with doctors and insurance companies to ensure they received the best treatment. For over a decade she commuted 45 minutes to her job at the Dunn County Healthcare Center out of loyalty to the patients in her care. She completed her career serving the Hudson community at the County Market Pharmacy.

In addition to her successful pharmacy career, Chris had a steadfast commitment to her children Madalyn and Elliott. She was fully invested in their education, organizing school fundraisers, volunteering on the PTO, pouring over homework after dinner, and supporting their interests in soccer, theater, football, band, choir, karate, piano, baseball, softball, girl scouts and boy scouts (to name a few). Madalyn and Elliott’s favorite childhood memories with their mother are of eating raw chocolate chip cookie dough and dancing to the Footloose soundtrack in the living room. Most importantly, Chris and John loved each other deeply and wrapped their children in the safety and warmth of their relationship. Their family bond was and is unbreakable.

Christina became a grandmother 16 years ago and was eagerly available to spend time with grandchildren, babysitting as often as possible. She helped raise five granddaughters: Phoenix, Harper, Cora, Ronja and Hazel. They have precious memories of sharing smoothies with their grandma at the Mall of America, walking dogs through the neighborhood, and being rocked in her arms as she sang Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah on repeat.

Chris was deeply invested in her children, her spouse, herself, and the world. She leaves behind her husband John, daughter Madalyn (Luke), son Elliott (Kayla); 5 granddaughters Phoenix, Harper, Cora, Ronja and Hazel; as well as her brothers Ted, Paul, John, and Mark. She was preceded in death by her sister Judy, aunt Bertha, mother Florence and father Theodore Grant.

A visitation will be held at O’Connell Family Funeral Home, 520 S. Eleventh Street, Hudson, WI, on Saturday March 9, 2024 from 1-3 p.m. with a memorial service from 2-2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue in Chris’ honor.