Wife of William M. Christensen and Sylvester Wakenight.
Mother of Alvin, Dorothy and Marie Christensen.

Goldie May was known to her immediate family and friends as Goldie, except for her first husband, Will, who affectionately called her Lady. She was born in Rawlings County, Kansas. Her father was William Doolan McLaughlin (b 1846, d 1924), an American Civil War veteran (Pvt 33rd Wisconsin Volunteers, Company B) and laborer. Her mother was Risby Jane Creger (b 1851, d 1932), a housewife and mother to seven children. Goldie grew up in Kansas, Nebraska and Arkansas. She married her first husband, William Miller (Will) Christensen (b 1884, d 1948), in Benton County Arkansas on Jun 21, 1908. Will was an electrician, electrical engineer and farmer. They initially lived in northwest Arkansas, and their first two children, Alvin Fay (b 1909, d 1997) and Anna Marie (b 1911, d 2005) were born in Sulphur Springs, Arkansas. Will took a job in Missouri (Iron Mountain, St Francois County) as a mining electrical engineer, and the family moved to southwest Missouri about 1918. Their third child, Dorothy May (b 1920, d 1990) was born in Lanagan, McDonald County, Missouri. Goldie had one younger sister, Pearl, and five older brothers, Alden Ladley (Lad), Roscoe Lloyd, Melvin Orland, Amos Elmer and Albert. Goldie and Will lived for a number of years in Lanagan, then moved to a small farm near Anderson, McDonald County, Missouri, where they maintained a herd of dairy cattle and cultivated crops, mainly oats. Will had been a pioneer in establishing electrical supply services in Lanagan. On his farm in Anderson, on Patterson Creek, he built his own dam, race and water wheel to supply electricity for his house, barn and milking machines. He also dug his own well to supply drinking water for the house. In the summer of 1948, Will was diagnosed with inoperable stomach cancer, and Goldie nursed him until his death (Oct 19, 1948). Goldie and her daughter, Dorothy, continued to run the farm for a number of years. She eventually sold the farm and renewed her acquaintance with Sylvester Wakenight (b 1884, d 1979), a widower living in Mt Morris, Illinois. She had known Sylvester as a young man in Arkansas, and she had admired him as a youth for his musical abilities. They married in 1956, and she took up residence with him in Mt Morris. They lived in the family home until each became too infirm to maintain the household. Sylvester's family from his first wife took him into care in Illinois, and Goldie's daughter, Dorothy, and her husband Robert (Bob) Daniels, took Goldie into their home in Anderson, Missouri. She remained with them until her death of heart failure in 1975. Goldie was well known for her tenacity, determination and true grit. She was a gifted amateur artist, and she painted a number of remarkable landscapes. Her cooking was delicious, and her cinnamon rolls and tomato gravy were legendary. Goldie was buried in Anderson Cemetery, next to her first husband, William Christensen.

Wife of William M. Christensen and Sylvester Wakenight.
Mother of Alvin, Dorothy and Marie Christensen.

Goldie May was known to her immediate family and friends as Goldie, except for her first husband, Will, who affectionately called her Lady. She was born in Rawlings County, Kansas. Her father was William Doolan McLaughlin (b 1846, d 1924), an American Civil War veteran (Pvt 33rd Wisconsin Volunteers, Company B) and laborer. Her mother was Risby Jane Creger (b 1851, d 1932), a housewife and mother to seven children. Goldie grew up in Kansas, Nebraska and Arkansas. She married her first husband, William Miller (Will) Christensen (b 1884, d 1948), in Benton County Arkansas on Jun 21, 1908. Will was an electrician, electrical engineer and farmer. They initially lived in northwest Arkansas, and their first two children, Alvin Fay (b 1909, d 1997) and Anna Marie (b 1911, d 2005) were born in Sulphur Springs, Arkansas. Will took a job in Missouri (Iron Mountain, St Francois County) as a mining electrical engineer, and the family moved to southwest Missouri about 1918. Their third child, Dorothy May (b 1920, d 1990) was born in Lanagan, McDonald County, Missouri. Goldie had one younger sister, Pearl, and five older brothers, Alden Ladley (Lad), Roscoe Lloyd, Melvin Orland, Amos Elmer and Albert. Goldie and Will lived for a number of years in Lanagan, then moved to a small farm near Anderson, McDonald County, Missouri, where they maintained a herd of dairy cattle and cultivated crops, mainly oats. Will had been a pioneer in establishing electrical supply services in Lanagan. On his farm in Anderson, on Patterson Creek, he built his own dam, race and water wheel to supply electricity for his house, barn and milking machines. He also dug his own well to supply drinking water for the house. In the summer of 1948, Will was diagnosed with inoperable stomach cancer, and Goldie nursed him until his death (Oct 19, 1948). Goldie and her daughter, Dorothy, continued to run the farm for a number of years. She eventually sold the farm and renewed her acquaintance with Sylvester Wakenight (b 1884, d 1979), a widower living in Mt Morris, Illinois. She had known Sylvester as a young man in Arkansas, and she had admired him as a youth for his musical abilities. They married in 1956, and she took up residence with him in Mt Morris. They lived in the family home until each became too infirm to maintain the household. Sylvester's family from his first wife took him into care in Illinois, and Goldie's daughter, Dorothy, and her husband Robert (Bob) Daniels, took Goldie into their home in Anderson, Missouri. She remained with them until her death of heart failure in 1975. Goldie was well known for her tenacity, determination and true grit. She was a gifted amateur artist, and she painted a number of remarkable landscapes. Her cooking was delicious, and her cinnamon rolls and tomato gravy were legendary. Goldie was buried in Anderson Cemetery, next to her first husband, William Christensen.