Roy Robert Christiansen

GREENSBORO Roy Robert (Swish) Christiansen, 95, passed away November 12, 2018, in Greensboro, NC. A funeral service will be held Saturday, November 17, 2018, at 3 p.m. at Faith Presbyterian Church at 6309 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro, NC. The family will receive friends and family at the church prior to the service between 1:00 and 2:45 p.m. The burial will follow in New Garden Friends Cemetery. Roy was born on July 2, 1923, in New York City. He enjoyed his childhood in Manhattan with the center of his social activities at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church. He was an avid basketball player and played on as many as three teams at one time between his school, church, and community. He enjoyed spending entire summers at a camp in the mountains of New York. In 1942, he came to Guilford College to play basketball at the recommendation of a friend. He received his draft notice for World War II in March 1943 to immediately report for active duty prior to finishing his spring semester. He was a combat engineer in General Patton's 3rd Army, serving battles and campaigns in Ardennes, Central Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Norway, and Rhineland. He reentered Guilford College at the conclusion of the war and it was there he first saw the "girl in the yellow dress" on campus at Guilford. That girl was Priscilla Nichols from Pilot Mountain, whom he actually first met when she cut in while he was dancing with her roommate. The rest was history and they celebrated 71 years of marriage on September 27, 2018. After graduation, Roy and Priscilla taught school for a few years in Stokes County, where Roy also coached basketball and baseball. Two of his baseball players became professionals and one made the major leagues. Roy then entered a life-long career as an insurance adjuster. Early jobs took him and his growing family to Rome, GA, Winston-Salem, NC, and ultimately back to the Guilford College community in 1956, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was a founding member of Faith Presbyterian Church. His first home, church, college, retirement community, final days and burial are all within one mile. Every day was a holiday and every meal a banquet. Roy never met a stranger, loved his family and the game of golf. He was a founding member of the Cardinal Golf Club, Senior Club Champion, and routinely beat his age until he stopped playing at age 92. He had eight holes-in-one during his career. He was preceded in death by his parents Gustav and Linda Christiansen and sister Adele. Survivors include his wife, Priscilla, daughters Linda O'Briant (Mike), Dale Christiansen, Gale Christiansen, son Bobby (Jill), grandchildren Christian O'Briant Dew (Mike), Thomas O'Briant, Priscilla Smith Brown (Bart), Adele Gibbs Martin (Chris), Robert Christiansen, Rachel Christiansen and seven great-grandchildren. The family wishes to thank all the wonderful staff at Friends Home West for their love, care and compassion during Roy's final days. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Faith Presbyterian Church. Arrangements are being handled by Forbis & Dick Guilford Chapel and online condolences may be offered at www.forbisanddick.com.