Christine Doris Handrahan, 93, of Austin, Minnesota, died of natural causes on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, at Sacred Heart Care Center.

Christine was born on Sept. 30, 1922, in Saginaw, Michigan, to August Johlke and Augusta Boethke.

She was the fifth of six children and grew up working on her parent’s farm. Her early years were hard but she prevailed with a fierce determination she exhibited her entire life. Christine loved her family. She loved to garden and to paint. She made some of the best pickles known to man and her paintings show the work of someone with a wonderful eye for color, composition and symmetry. She was also an expert at needlework and was an awesome cook. Later on in life, she was able to fulfill her dream to travel on a pilgrimage to Israel and was later able to travel extensively throughout the United States. Christine also enjoyed her time with her friends in the Golden Girls Club, making many trips with them to plays and shows in Minneapolis. She was a woman of strong faith and a very kind and gentle person. She did volunteer work, home health care and was a senior companion. Christine was blessed to live on her own until a few short weeks before her passing. She will be missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her husbands: Robert F. Hambright, Walter H. VanRyn and James E. Handrahan; and by a daughter Donna Hambright Huinker.

She is survived by her children: Aloma (Hambright) Wilde, Robert (Pat) Hambright, Richard VanRyn, Joseph (Annabelle Wagner) VanRyn, Marion (Al) VanRyn Koss, Margaret (VanRyn) Svien; 20 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, at St. Augustine Catholic Church with Father James Steffes officiating. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church for one hour before the service. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.