TIMOTHY CHRISTENSEN

1956 - 2021

TimOTHY Alan Christensen  
Died unexpectedly after a short illness on March 16, 2021. Tim was born in 1956 in Midland, Michigan, a city rich in the arts. He was an accomplished organist and pianist and avid patron/practioner of music, musical theater, and performance in general. Tim was a proud University of Michigan graduate, where he earned his bachelor's degree and an MBA. While attending Michigan, Tim worked in the Universities' financial aid office, developing a lifelong passion for improving student access to and success in postsecondary education. With his freshly minted MBA, Tim moved to Washington, DC in 1987 to accept a job at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Advisors (NASFAA). He worked there for over 20 years, rising to become a senior leader. While at NASFAA, Tim helped to establish and design the scholarship program set up for the children of victims of the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. Tim went on to serve on the Board of Trustees of Scholarship America, the scholarship's administrator. Tim was dedicated to the Scholarship America mission and continued to serve as an honor roll trustee. After leaving NASFAA in 2008, Tim became a private consultant and worked as a contractor for two years helping schools to transition from guaranteed federal loans to loans provided directly by the Department of Education. In 2013, he retired so that he could spend more time traveling, reading, attending concerts, plays, and musicals, and volunteering with the Logan Circle Community Association. Tim worked on the LCCA's annual house tour for many years and later served as LCCA's President. His proudest achievement was the realization of the Logan Circle Heritage Trail, whose historic markers dot the neighborhood. Steeped in this history of this historic neighborhood, he was a much sought-after tour guide. Tim is survived by his husband Walter Ochinko, whom he married in 2013 and with whom he would have celebrated his 33rd anniversary in November 2021; his brother Donald Christensen, Jr., of Belmar, New Jersey, and two nieces-Amanda Jarman and Ashley Bohno. He was predeceased by his mother Alice, his father Donald Sr., his beloved sister Marty, and his sister Diane. A celebration of his life will take place after COVID has abated. Contributions can be made in Tim's memory to Scholarship America at https://donations.scholarshipamerica.org/