MELVIN A. CHRESTIANSEN, 84, of Paris, formerly of Temple, Texas, passed away at 2:15 PM, Friday, November 25, 2011 at Dubuis Hospital of Paris.  A time of visitation and remembrance will be held from 6:00-8:00 PM, Monday evening at the funeral home.  Fry & Gibbs Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.

Mr. Chrestiansen was born july 19, 1927 in Palo Alto County, Iowa to Albert and Mathilda Tonderm Chrestiansen.  He married Joyce Marie Henry in Jackson, Minnesota on March 28, 1956.  In his younger life he was a farmer in Iowa and then retired from Scott & White Hospital in Temple in 1998. He and his wife moved to Paris in 2007 to be close to their daughter, Debbie Jo Hostetler.  He was of the Lutheran faith.

Mr. Chrestiansen is survived by his wife, Joyce Chrestiansen of Paris; his daughter, Debbie Jo Hostetler and husband, Benzy of Tigertown; one son, Ricky of Paris; his sister, Julia Lehner and husband, Jim of Dacula, Georgia; a sister-in-law, Rhonda Chrestiansen of Esterville, Iowa; and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by one son, Gary Chrestiansen; two brothers; and four sisters.

The family would like to especially thank Dr. Chad Trammell, Dr. Robert Zimmerman, the staff of Dubuis Hospital; and the staff of Legend Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center who became his “other family” the past few years of his life.