Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Sunday, July 23, 2006 at 06:47:37 :
Marin Independent Journal
Tuesday, March 13, 1990
B-2
Nevada Christian, civic leader
Nevada Semenza Christian of Novato, civic leader and former director of the Marin Mental Health Association, died Monday, March 5, 1990, at the Northgate Convalescent hospital in San Rafael after a lengthy illness. She was 88.
Mrs. Christian was born in Reno. She graduated from the University of Reno, where she was the Gold Medal recipient of the class of 1924.
After graduation, she taught journalism and English for several years in California and Nevada high schools.
She moved in 1930 to Shanghai, China where she worked as a feature writer for the English language daily newspaper, the Shanghai Press. There she met and married her husband, Sutton Christian, editor of the paper.
When they returned to the United States, the couple lived in Santa Cruz and Pacific Grove, where they continued in the newspaper business.
During World War II, Mrs. Christian was public relations director with the Office of Information while her husband was with the Red Cross in Alaska.
After the war, they moved to Mountain View and returned to the newspaper business. Following Mr. Christian’s illness, they sold the newspaper.
They then moved to Norfolk, Va., where they taught at the Hampton Institute.
After her husband’s death in 1963, Mrs. Christian moved to San Rafael, where she helped organize the local United Fund chapter and the Community Welfare Council.
She retired in 1971 after serving as __?__ director of the Marin Mental Health Association for six years.
Mrs. Christian also helped organize Buckelew House, a half-way house for young adults.
She served on the Marin County Grand Jury for several years.
Mrs. Christian received the key to the city of Novato in recognition of her contributions to that community.
Mrs. Christian was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority.
Mrs. Christian is survived by three sisters, Rena Safford of Novato, Grace Semenza of Santa Rosa and Mrs. Lawrence English of Pasadena, and a brother, Edwin S. Semenza of Reno.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Anthony’s Church in Novato.
Memorial donations may be sent to the Marin Mental Health Association, Buckelew House or the Hospice of Marin in Corte Madera.
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