Arne G. Christiansen

SANDWICH — Arne G. Christiansen, of Sandwich, died Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008, at the age of 86. He was the husband of Mildred (Hansen) Christiansen.

Born in Denmark, he came from a family tradition of sea captains and merchant marine sailors. He went to sea at age 16, training aboard the squared rigged sailing ship, Danmark, sailing to the U.S. and South America in the 1930s.

He was at sea on a Danish merchant ship when Denmark was invaded during World War II, preventing his return home. After spending nearly a year on the Portuguese island of Madeira, his ship sailed to New York shortly before the United States entered the war.

During the war, he sailed aboard merchant ships for the Army Transportation Corp. in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. He was discharged honorably from the Army and Coast Guard at the end of the war.

While in New York during the war, he met his future wife, Mildred. They married in September of 1944, and recently commemorated their 64th anniversary. He spent 10 years in the merchant marines and in 1948 moved to New Milford, Conn., where he began a new career with Connecticut Light and Power, now Northeast Utilities.

He retired from Northeast Utilities after 36 years, working as a lineman and later as a supervisor. He and his wife moved to the Cape to retire and they lived in Sandwich for the past 23 years.

He was a 50-year member of St. Peter's Masonic Lodge in New Milford.

He is survived by his wife, Mildred; son, Niel, and his wife, Genie ,of Essex, Vt.; daughter Linda Lewison and her husband, Michael, of Sandwich; and three grand- children, Andrew Christiansen and Keith and Krista Lewison. Services and burial in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne are private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the New England Chapter of the Merchant Marine Association, c/o David C. Durnford, 17 Astor Way, Apt. 25, South Yarmouth, MA 02664 or Cape Heritage Healthcare Center in Sandwich, Sunshine Fund, at 37 Route 6A, Sandwich, MA 02563.

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