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CLARENCE 'COACH CHRISTY' CHRISTENSON

A memorial service will be celebrated Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Morgan City for Clarence “Coach Christy” Christenson, 82, who passed away on March 15, 2017, after a lengthy illness. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. with memorial service to follow. Burial will be in Minot, North Dakota.
“Christy” was born in Foxholm, North Dakota, to immigrant parents from Denmark on July 20, 1934. There, he was raised on a farm until he moved to Minot, North Dakota, in his elementary years.
He graduated from Minot High School in 1953 and attended Minot State College and received a Bachelor of Science Degree. He completed his Masters of Education Degree at LSU.
He always knew he wanted to be a teacher and a coach. He enjoyed coaching any age level as he considered coaching to be a vocation and not just a job.
He worked at a young age for the Minot recreation department. At the age of 19 he was named coach of the Minot, North Dakota American Legion baseball team. He coached the team to 4 Western Division Championships and 6 state tournaments in nine seasons. He helped organize Minot’s first Babe Ruth baseball program. The team won state titles in 1971 and 1972, and placed 3rd and 4th in the national tournaments.
He received his first head coaching job in basketball at Harvey, North Dakota and led Harvey to their first appearance ever in the Class A state tournament in 1961.
He returned to Minot in 1963 to become assistant basketball coach and head baseball coach, as well as a business education teacher. During his time as assistant coach, Minot High appeared in 7 state tournaments and won state championships in 1965 and 1971, and were state runner-ups in 1973.
As the head baseball coach at Minot High School, he won state championships in 1965, 1967 and 1969. He also organized a popular basketball halftime show with a team of young kids. They mimicked the Harlem Globetrotters and performed at many high school basketball games. When he left Minot to go to Louisiana State University, the City of Minot proclaimed Clarence “Christy” Christenson Day. He left Minot with a record of 837 wins and 197 losses and over 30 championships.
He joined his childhood friend, Dale Brown, at LSU in 1973 as an assistant men’s basketball coach. He started the LSU Tiger Tykes and Tots, a halftime show similar to the one in Minot, which gained national fame. They performed with the Harlem Globetrotters, the New Orleans Jazz, 1987 SEC Championship, To Tell the Truth, Zoom Children’s show, and at many other events.
After receiving his master’s degree, he took a position in Thibodaux as the director of Parks, Recreation and the Civic Center. There, he increased the number of activities from 15 – 45 and team participation increased from 35 summer youth teams to 271 year-round teams of all ages. The Civic Center became a place for many events.
In 1979 he returned to LSU to be an assistant basketball coach with the Lady Tigers. While there, his recruits included several high school All-Americans. The late coach Sue Gunter once said that Christy was the best teacher of basketball fundamentals she had ever seen.
He also started the TJ Ribs Tykes and Tots who performed at many events. They were featured in Pistol Pete Maravich’s teaching video, Homework Basketball. He also conducted summer basketball camps.
He has been referred to as the “Dr. Seuss” of basketball. After retiring from LSU, Christy continued to coach by coaching his grandsons in Biddy and AAU basketball (Morgan City Magic).
He retired to a camp on the waterfront in Stephensville where he enjoyed his children and their families. He was a humble man who accepted all people and thought everyone should make a difference. Well, Christy, you made a difference.
He is survived by his sons, Rod, Brent, Scott and John; daughters, Nancy (Pete) Boudreaux and Heidi (Brent) Meaux; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; sister, Edna Lester; and former wife, Yvonne Christenson.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Christ P. and Johanne (Sorenson) Christenson; sisters Lykke, Gladys, Mary and Rose Mae; and brother, Ruben.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the “Coach Christy Christenson Scholarship Fund” at Minot High School in Minot, North Dakota. Donations can be mailed to MPS Foundation, 215 2nd Street Southeast, Minot, North Dakota, 58701 or contact Brittany Hogan at 701-818-2129.
Twin City Funeral Home is handling the funeral arrangements. View the obituary and guestbook online at www.twincityfh.com, Morgan City, Louisiana.

ST. MARY NOW

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