Janis E. Christensen

WILBRAHAM — Janis E. (Birch) Christensen, age 85, of Cotuit, passed away on Jan. 1, 2009, at Wingate at Wilbraham Nursing Home after a short illness.

The daughter of the late Alfred H. and Anna K. (Steif) Birch, she was born on March 6, 1923, in Newark, N.J.

As a young person and young adult, Janis was active in the Rainbow Girls of Wollaston. After moving to Cape Cod, she was active in the Hyannis-Osterville Lioness Club.

In recent years, she enjoyed her family and watching sports on TV, especially the Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins.

Janis is survived by a son, Ron, and his companion Deb Allen of Palmer; a daughter, Suzanne Anderson, and her husband, Wayne, of Ocala, Fla.; a grandson, Marc Christensen, and his wife, Seema, of Mc-

Kinney, Texas; two great-granddaughters, Priya and Asha Christensen, also of McKinney, Texas; a sister, Ann Burlingame of Cotuit; a brother, Warren Birch, and his wife, Lucille, of Lyme, N.H.; a brother-in-law, David Christensen of Buzzards Bay; niece Sheryl Burlingame and her spouse, Dawn Rogers, of Harwich; niece Cindy Neves and her husband, Danny, of Cotuit; nephew Craig Burlingame of Jamaica Plain; niece Janet Wilson of Marstons Mills; nephew Bob Wilson of Mississippi; niece Nancy Johnson of Braintree; nephew Richard Birch and his wife, Rose, of Thetford, Vt.; nephew Robert Birch, also of Thetford, Vt.; and numerous grand- and great-grandnieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held in the John-Lawrence Funeral Home, 3778 Falmouth Road (Route 28), Marstons Mills, on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 10 a.m. Visiting hours are on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Burial is in Mosswood Cemetery, Cotuit.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mid-Cape Lions Club, Hyannis, MA 02601, or Quaboag Valley Hospice, 40 Wright St., Palmer, MA 01069.