Christian Edward Oberholser

Christian Edward Oberholser was born June 23, 1940, in Mechanicsburg, PA to parents Christian Lesher Oberholser and Miriam Anna Wenger. He was preceded in death by his spouse B. June Deal whom he dearly loved and missed every day. He is survived by two sons, S. Scott Oberholser married to Amy Torres, Eric C Oberholser and his wife Lauren, Pam Wing and her husband Tom, grandchildren Ryan, Alexander, Melissa, Jeremy, Megan, Brian, and Tatiana, and great-grandchildren Bradley and Savannah McLure and Diana Wing who knew him as their beloved Papaw.

Chris was kind and generous of spirit with a mind perpetually curious and interested in others. He was married to Shirley Armstrong in 1963 and together they raised his sons in Grants, Tijeras, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Chris spent most of his career teaching elementary-school children in areas around Gallup and Farmington where his students called him “Mr. O.” Later, he worked as an administrator for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to improve education around the state.

Chris met June in the 1980s in Albuquerque and they married on August 5, 1987. They lived in many remote areas in Western, NM including Tohatchi, San Rafeal, and Ramah, and enjoyed many years of retirement together before they moved to Williamston, Michigan to be near their growing family. Chris and June were active members of the community in Williamston, and both spoke fondly of friends they knew. Chris, who was never one to turn down a good meal, spoke almost wistfully about the chicken dinners at the local Methodist Church on Wednesday nights! They enjoyed traveling for family gatherings and the Michigan wildlife outside their backdoor as they invested significant efforts in the care of their home together.

After June’s sudden passing in 2018, Chris eventually returned to New Mexico and was able to spend the last 3 years of his life getting to know his grandson, Alexander, who was with him nearly every day. He nurtured his creative woodworking skills building everything from garden boxes and bar-be-que tables to home décor and lettered signs. He was active to his last day, working out at the community center, attending Tae-kwon-do tournaments for his grandson, and traveling every year to be with his family in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, and Arizona.

Though his passing was sudden, his family remains grateful for his devotion to living in Christ. Some of his last words included a personal message at Christmas time: “With the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, we have the privilege to be his disciple. May we be diligent and represent him well.” Chris was the living example of those words.

A memorial service is planned for January 18, 2025 at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Albuquerque at 10:00 with a reception to follow.