Christine Rose Teyssier Eldred

Christine Eldred, devoted mother/grandmother/great grandmother and dedicated lifelong champion of education, passed away peacefully on February 2, 2026 at her home in El Cajon, CA. She was 95.

Born in Durango Colorado on July 5, 1930, Christine was the fourth of six children of Edward Wenzel and Blanche Elva Leonard Teyssier. During her early years, Christine's family moved throughout the southwestern corner of Colorado as Edward constructed roads and bridges to benefit the state and the automotive industry, both in the early stages of development. When the Great Depression occurred, her father was hired as part of FDR's New Deal, to supervise several CCC and WPA camps. His many projects included construction of the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, outside of Denver, and ski runs for military training at Camp Hale, near Vail.

At times, the family would live at various onsite construction camps, where Blanche ran the commissary and general store. At other times, while Edward worked on site, the rest of the family lived in a variety of homes, producing crops and other household staples for themselves, their livestock, and occasionally, their boarders.

When Christine was 13, the family moved to Palm City (now a part of San Diego), enabling her father to take a job as Chief Inspector of the concrete barges being built for the Navy during WWII. Outside of school hours, Christine assisted the family business: Civilian clothing was rationed at that time, and her mother found little to no commerce in their largely undeveloped corner of the county, from which to feed and serve her large brood. So, Blanche formed and operated the Clothesline Department Store to serve the local residents, producing clothes for the store out of fabrics purchased from Mexico.

Christine was among the first graduates of Chula Vista High School; class of 1948. After high school, she entered San Diego State College (now SDSU). Before completing her degree however, she met Lance Eldred; they were married on 11/19/1950, and moved immediately to Camp LeJeune in North Carolina, to complete his term as a Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Upon his discharge from active duty, Lance and Chris settled in Imperial Beach, and jointly managed the operation and closure of the original Clothesline store, in Palm City; a second, larger store had been opened in Imperial Beach. By 1966 they needed room for themselves and their five children to grow. They moved to the home in El Cajon where Christine would live for another sixty years, and complete her life.

Once the children were all settled into their school years, Christine went back to school herself, to become a Certified Public Accountant. In 1967, she began a decades long career at Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista. She began as an accountant, advancing every few years. According to articles of the time, she became the first woman business manager of a California community college district, in 1972. The following year she was appointed to the role of Dean of Business Services, by the school district's board of trustees.

Chris and Lance both valued community service; throughout that time she also assisted Lance's extra-professional youth and education oriented endeavors to a great extent. These ranged from organizing and officiating the annual Maytime Band Review marching band competition in National City and pancake breakfast fundraisers for the Boys Club, to Lance's lobbying and hosting efforts to increase funding through the federal Impact Aid program - which ensures that schools near military installations or otherwise on federal land have the resources needed for a quality education, even though the surrounding property is not taxed locally.

Christine also served directly as a member of California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO), a non-profit organization that supports California's school business leaders with professional development, advocacy, and best practices for managing all aspects of school business administration.
In 1980, she was elected to the board of directors of the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA), a fifteen member board which recommends and forms policy for what was then 70 California community college districts.

By the time that Christine officially retired from her full time career in December 1993, she had attained the role of Vice President of Administrative Affairs, as the college's first female vice president. She was held in high esteem by her colleagues throughout the campus, who came out in force to praise her at her retirement ceremony as 'dependable', 'reliable' and 'courageous'; but also 'always patient', 'respectful' and 'supportive'.

Did she stop there? Of course not! Subsequent to her official retirement, Christine continued to work as a consultant at the college through September 2013, assisting the process of interviewing new hire candidates.

Christine said that she had always liked the vitality and change of student life, and that she was proud of her accomplishments at Southwestern. But Chris and Lance didn't let all their hard work take away from quality time with their family and friends: Their children share fond memories of annual wintertime trips to the family cabin; countless family games and jigsaw puzzles; dinner parties featuring bridge or casino nights; and season tickets to the SDSU Aztec football games and to regular theater performances at the Starlight Bowl, in Balboa park. In later years, they became lifetime members of the San Diego Zoo, and took many cruises and vacations throughout the United States and the world.

Christine's quiet, diligent demeanor hid a spirited and mischievous streak: Her youngest child remembers fondly how Christine would always hide one piece of the jigsaw puzzle, so that she could come to the rescue at the end, 'finishing the puzzle' all by herself. In later years, she took particular enjoyment in playing the role of the stereotypical absent minded little old lady, to distract you while she ran the table at cards.

Still, she was a straight shooter when it mattered, always providing sound advice without judgement, then encouraging us to think through and make our own decisions. Up until the end, Christine maintained her grace, and expressed gratitude for her long life, full of wonderful and varied experiences.

Christine and Lance were married almost 55 years, up until his passing in 2004. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Leonard Teyssier, of La Jolla; and by her sisters - Barbara Forrest and Marilyn Pluss, of Bonita; Rita Meyer, of Chula Vista; and Evelyn Palmer, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Christine is survived by her five children: Cindy Eldred of Maryville, TN; Lance E. Eldred & daughter in law Rita Stec, of Indian Wells, CA; Steve Eldred & daughter in law Penny Skemp, of Oceanside, CA; Dianne & son in law Greg Dunne of Alpine, CA; and Connie and son in law John Willman of Reno, NV.

She is also survived by her eight grandchildren, and their spouses: Rebecca (and Chris) Realyea; Sarah (and William) Lee; Adam (and Lisa Anderson) Eldred; Nicolia Eldred Skemp (and Andrej Tusicisny); Kyle Dunne; Kristine Dunne; Rachel Willman (and Arian Jon Pohan); and Marie Willman. Most of all, she was proud of her three great-grandchildren: Dylan Realyea, Matthew Lee, and Leo Tusicisny.

We thank you Mom for the beautiful lives we've lived because of you, and for your steadfast love for and belief in us. We are better people because of you. We will forever keep you in our hearts.

Please join us in honoring and celebrating Christine's life on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita. A viewing will take place from 10 to 11am and funeral service from 11am to noon, in the Little Chapel of Roses, with graveside service following immediately after. A celebration of life will occur in the Orchid Pavilion, from 1:30 to 3:30pm. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the San Diego Zoological Society.