Christiana Press

Christiana Ellen Emma Peters Press was born on May 15, 1925 in Berlin, Germany to Dr. Paul William Peters and Helene L. Doescher Peters. She received Holy Baptism at the Saxon Free Church at Berlin/Steglitz where she also began her confirmation instructions. In the fall of 1939 her father received a call to the Lutheran Seminary at Mequon, Wisconsin. The family moved to the United States in November and Christiana lived in Mequon until her marriage in 1951. Christiana attended Calvary Lutheran School for six months primarily to learn English. She was confirmed in German on Palm Sunday March 17, 1949, at Calvary Lutheran Church. Her memory verse was Proverbs 23, 26. From 1940-1943 she attended Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, WI. Her college years were spent at Milwaukee Downer College now Lawrence University of Appleton, WI. There she received her B.A. in 1947. One year later she began teaching at Whitefish Bay H.S. in Whitefish Bay, WI. On June 16, 1951, she was united in marriage to Philip K. Press. Her husband’s assignment from the Seminary was to St. Peter’s at Theresa, WI. Their first child Susan was born at Manitowoc, WI in 1952, followed by Paul in 1953. In 1955 Pastor Press accepted a call to Zion Lutheran Church in Mobridge, SD. Peter Luther was born there in 1956. The Lord called him to his heavenly home Nov. 30, 2008. In 1957 the family moved to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Collins, WI. There the last 3 children were born in Manitowoc, WI Christine in 1958, Anne in 1959 and Thomas in 1962. In 1958 Christiana resumed her teaching career at St. Peter’s Lutheran School. She taught grades 1-4 until 1962, when she began teaching German and English at the Kiel H.S. in Kiel, WI. In 1965 Pastor Press accepted a call to Zion Lutheran Church in Phoenix, AZ. Christiana began teaching at Glendale H.S. and also obtained her MA in German Literature at ASU in 1967. In 1968 the family moved to Pigeon, MI where Pastor Press served at St. John’s Lutheran Church until his death on Oct. 10, 1988. Christiana continued teaching at Handy H.S. in Bay City, MI until June 1989, driving 50 miles to work for 21 years. From 1980-1999 she also conducted tours to Europe during the summer months. In June of 1999 Christiana retired to Portland, OR where she attended Zion Lutheran Church. In 2004 she moved to Surprise, AZ and joined Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Christiana died believing in her Lord and Savior on August 4, 2014. She is survived by her sister Barbara Laila Klaszus of Edmonton, Canada; 5 children; 3 daughters in law; 2 sons in law; 2 sisters in law; 2 brothers in law; 12 grandchildren; 3 step-grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 7 step-great-grandchildren; 15 nieces & nephews and many friends and acquaintances. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. with funeral service at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 9, 2014 at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 14650 W. Bell Rd., Surprise, Arizona. She will be laid to rest at St. John’s Cemetery in Pigeon, Michigan.