Audrey Christensen

Former Director of the Chadwick Village School, Mrs. Audrey Christensen (née Martin) of Bristol, England, died after a short illness, on 9 December 2019 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, at the age of 95.

It’s a long way from England to California and the story of how Audrey ended up there is a great one. She was an only child, born on 23 September 1924 in Bristol, England. Her father, Herbert Martin, was a WW I Army Veteran and her mother Olive worked in Bristol aircraft factories during that war. After WW I, Herbert took over the family haulage business. Audrey grew up under the care and influence of a loving family. She fondly recalled visiting her grandmother’s farm. Her grandmother, who at the ripe age of 18, had been the headmistress of a village school in rural England, inspired Audrey to be a teacher. She also recalled learning to play the piano and summer excursions to the seaside, including Weston Super-Mare. Audrey was a good student and as WW II loomed, she looked forward to becoming a teacher.

In September of 1939, Britain, in advance of declaring war on Germany, started a mass evacuation dubbed “Operation Pied Piper.” Imagine the chaos as nearly 1.5 million children, women, and disabled people were evacuated from major cities and towns in only three days. Audrey was moved from Bristol to Dartington Hall, a progressive school and artists’ colony, in South Devon. Audrey, not yet 16 years old, and two other girls were assigned responsibility for caring for fifty children ages two and under for the next year. She became adept at wiping noses and herding children at a very early age.

In early 1941 she returned to Bristol, which was a center of aircraft manufacturing and remained a target throughout the war. She vividly remembered her wartime experiences, which included the trials and tribulations of air raids and food rationing. She lived through the bombing and she would instinctively jump in response to loud noises. In addition, because of that rationing, her cooking skills and tastes in food were somewhat pragmatic. She was not a spectacular cook and would frequently admonish her children to “remember the starving children, hush up, and your dinner.”

In 1942, She completed her grade school education and enrolled in Fishponds Teaching College for women. Fishponds, a suburb of Bristol, was a manufacturing and training center for aircraft components, including Rolls Royce aircraft engines. Audrey enjoyed her years at the college and made some lifelong friends. College students, then and now, are not too different. One fateful evening Audrey and her friends decided to throw a party. Audrey could play the piano and the only thing missing were dance partners. One of Audrey’s friends offered to recruit a few airmen. By coincidence, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) had sent several young men to the Rolls Royce Factory School to learn how to operate and maintain the legendary Merlin engine. Enter Corporal Paul Christensen and several others. Paul said that when he walked in and glanced across the room, he saw Audrey, heard her music, and was immediately stricken. He elbowed his buddy and said, “I’m gong to marry that girl”. His buddy responded with words to the effect of “you’re daft, you don’t even know her name!” Love conquers all and when Paul introduced himself, they hit it off.

Between 1942 and 1945, Paul and Audrey maintained a long-distance relationship. Audrey continued her education and took a teaching position in Bristol. Paul was stationed at an RCAF bomber base at Skipton on Swale, near York in central England. Paul hitchhiked back and forth between York and Bristol. When he was able to visit, he stayed with Audrey’s family. He made sure he came bearing rationed delicacies such as SPAM, butter, chocolate and whatever else he could scrape up. Audrey remembers taking Paul on day trips back to enjoy Weston Super Mare. During this period in the war, the Allied casualties were very high, and services were seeking volunteers to fly. At one point in the war, Paul was asked by his leadership, if he was interested in becoming a “flight engineer” and earn a corresponding pay raise. He pondered the topic and discussed it with Audrey. She wisely counseled him to stay on the ground or the story might end here. When the war ended, those who had the most time overseas were rotated back first. Paul was a high time and he couldn’t bear leaving without Audrey. He proposed and to his dismay, she declined. She wasn’t ready to leave her family and move to the other side of the world to Canada.

In 1945 as the war began to wind down, the newly minted teacher took on her first teaching job in Bristol. This job was a baptism under fire, because she was given many students that more senior teachers deemed unteachable. Audrey’s meddle was tested the first day of class, when the group of incorrigibles gave her a nicely boxed, welcoming gift. She recognized this as a special test, and gingerly opened the box in front of the class. She peered inside to find a small frog. Her calm response to the surprise was well received by her students. She deftly passed her first test as a teacher. Audrey took a personal interest in every student and did not believe that any student was unteachable. One young student, Pam was having difficulty reading. She took special interest in helping her and they developed an unbreakable bond that lasted for a lifetime.

In 1945, the dejected airman returned home with thousands of troops on the Queen Mary. He began to work the family business, but he was uninspired. At one point, suffering from depression and anxiety, he called the local doctor, who asked him to describe his symptoms. The doctor took careful notes, pondered the situation and said, “Son, you’re lovesick. You need to go back to England and marry this girl.” Sure enough, he returned, and they married in 1946. Her student Pam was invited to be in the wedding. Paul and Audrey returned to Victoria, British Columbia, to start a new life in Canada.

Between 1946 and 1955, Audrey put her teaching career on hold to raise a family. Audrey raised three children, Paul, Julie, and Peter Christensen. Paul went to college, earned a degree, and returned to the RCAF to join their helicopter development program. In 1955 the family emigrated to the United States, Paul gained employment in the aerospace industry, and the family eventually settled in Rolling Hills and then Rancho Palos Verdes.

In 1963, Audrey decided to resume her teaching career and continue her education. Because her Fishpond’s teaching degree was not recognized in the U.S., she pursued employment at a private school, Rolling Hills Country Day School, where she happily taught third grade through 1967. Between 1968 and 1969 as she followed her husband and raised her family. At night she took classes and completed her undergraduate education at Temple University. In 1969 she returned to Palos Verdes, enrolled at Long Beach State University where she completed her master’s degree in education.

In 1970, she was hired by Chadwick school to teach third grade in the Village School. There she enjoyed working in a private school environment with small classes and an emphasis on academic excellence. She loved her students and they loved her back. Students often give gifts before Christmas Break and the generosity of the Chadwick Family was notable. Audrey often needed help to load and unload her car and spent much of the holidays writing thank you cards to express her appreciation. For some reason, she was a little stingy about sharing Chocolates. One of her favorite activities was to organize an annual trip to Washington, maybe because it reminded her of “Operation Pied Piper”. She was proud that she never once misplaced a child and so were their parents. She loved herding students through the Smithsonian Museums, Capitol Hill, and the White House. One of the high points of her visits was to be photographed with the President.

In 1981, she assumed responsibilities as the Director of Chadwick’s Village School in she remained in that role until she retired several years later. Inspired by her grandmother and with passion and diligence, she worked closely with her teaching staff to nurture students, help the school achieve and maintain accreditation, and advance the curriculum. She also represented Chadwick as a member of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). She remained in that role until she retired. Christensen Hall is named in her honor.

After retirement, Audrey and Paul lived in their home in Rancho Palos Verdes, traveled the world and visited friends and family. She would make regular trips to England to reminisce, visit her relatives and renew friendships with Pam, one of her first students. Her own children and grandchildren accompanied her on several trips. To them she imparted a love of England, history, and education. Playing piano, painting and pastels, gardening and flowers, teaching and of course, chocolate, were her passions as well as supporting her husband in his hobbies. Audrey was an active and dedicated member of St Paul's Lutheran Church and often volunteered for the Palos Verdes Republican Ladies Association.

Audrey is survived by her three children, Paul E. Christensen, Julie Christensen Rackley, and Peter H. Christensen, seven grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Paul H. Christensen, a longtime resident of Palos Verdes.

A funeral is scheduled for 1 PM, 18 January, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 31290 Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, with a reception to follow at the same location. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Audrey’s life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to your favorite charity.