CHRISTENSEN, Melva

Former Leadville resident Melva Christensen, 80, of Salida, died Jan. 16, after a long illness. Christensen, the ninth of 12 children, was born Jan. 22, 1926, in Moab, Utah, to Nora Mae Dalton and Milton Edwin Johnson. She spent her youth in Moab. In 1943 she came to Colorado, married Gerald Godat and had two children. Later she divorced Godat and married Emil Damjanovich. The family lived in Leadville from 1953 to 1968 and they had a daughter, Janine. In 1968, she divorced Damjanovich, moved to Denver and met her third husband, Charles E. Martin. In 1986 she moved to Salida upon the retirement of Martin, who preceded her in death in 1993. She married Donald W. Christensen in 1994. Their marriage was solemnized in the Denver Colorado Temple one year later. Her greatest joy in life was her family. She was a devoted mother, grandmother and wife. She loved cooking and feeding groups of family and friends at home, church and reunions. She was creative and used it in her love of cooking, sewing, crafting and teaching others. She had a contagious smile, a generous nature and set an example through her acts and deeds. She enjoyed life to the fullest and loved to laugh. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in relief society and young women. Survivors are her husband; daughters, Geraldine Bates of Montrose and Janine Weitzel of Littleton; son, Glenn Godat of Arvada; sister, Ida Mae Hurst of Payson, Utah; brother, John D. Johnson of Salt Lake City, Utah; grandchildren Diana (Andy) King of Grand Junction, Stacey (Chuck) Turner of Montrose, Kimberly (Jason) Roberts of Arvada, Brandi (Jerame) Gonyaw) of Buena Vista, Karen Godat of Superior, Lori (Chris) Webb of Arvada and Jodi Sprinkle of Arvada. She is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren: Talisha Maes, Carol Ann Buntenbah, Chuck Turner Jr., Nathan Kohls, Alexander Kohls, Austin Godat, Alisha Vega, Emily King, Roscoe Sprinkle, Tristan Gonyaw, Andre Vega, Lauren Roberts, Mariah Gonyaw and Taylor and Courtney Webb. Additional survivors include five stepchildren, Morris, Marvin, Colleen, Leslie and Kelvin; 22 stepgrandchildren and 11 stepgreat-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two grandsons: baby boy Godat and Shane Weitzel. Funeral services were on Jan. 20, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1140 Poncha Blvd., Salida. The Herald Democrat