Obituary and funeral services: Carmen Christensen, 83, of Monroe

Carmen spent her entire life in service to others, from Meadow Brook Nursing Home in Tucker to Home Health Care in Snellville, she provided a love to her clients that made them feel like they were a part of her family.

Carmen had many loves, her family, her beloved cats, cooking, old movies, reading and crocheting. Her children, grandchildren and her cats were her world. Most of her life revolved around cooking for her family, from the gang of teenagers that crowded her house on weekends to family celebrations, no one prepared a feast like Carmen. Those hand written cookbooks have been fought over for years. Famous indeed for her chicken and dumplings, meatball stroganoff, country ham and red eyed gravy and oh that chocolate pie. If we weren’t fighting over her cookbooks, we were fighting for the beautiful afghans she crocheted. Her crochet work is all over Georgia and North Carolina from her children to her great-grandchildren, blankets, booties, scarves, and wrist warmers abound. Her free time was spent crocheting and watching old movies, which meant she could tell you anything you wanted to know about movie stars. In her later years, Demon and Smoky, or as she called them her boys became her adopted (cats) children and just like the rest of us, she fed them abundantly. Carmen’s sense of humor always kept you on your toes, but you knew you were loved with every sarcastic word, every twisted grin, and every tiny pinch. Her last years were super hard, the loss of her leg especially, but her feistiness and perseverance always came through and with the loving help of her family and especially Lori, she enjoyed staying in her own home almost until her last breath. We are thankful for our time with our Beautiful Mom, Loving Sister and super protective, always doting NANA.

Carmen was preceded in death by her spouse, Kenneth Christensen (KC). She is survived by her beloved daughter Lori Bracewell and her husband Dale, their children Kyle and his fiancé Heather, Kevin and Connor; Her beloved son David McCoy and his wife Jane, his children Crystal Brooks and her husband Jason, their children Skyler, Jasmine, Nathan and Janie; Brandon McCoy and his wife Kathy and their children Luke and Maggie; Sean McCoy and his wife Hope; Her beloved son Billy Googe and his wife Amy, their children Staff Sergeant William Googe USMC and his wife Christy, and their children Liam and Ramona, Justin Googe and his daughter Anabel; Her beloved sisters Carolyn Osborne and her husband Jack, Claudine Stone, and her children Rhonda and family, Randy and family.

The Gathering to honor and celebrate the life of Carmen Christensen will be held on Thursday, February 15, 2018 from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM at Tom M. Wages Snellville Chapel. Interment will follow at Eternal Hills Memory Gardens, Snellville, GA.

Condolences may be sent or viewed at www.wagesfuneralhome.com. Tom M. Wages Funeral Service, LLC, A Family Company, 3705 Highway 78 West, Snellville, GA 30039 (770-979-3200) has been entrusted with the arrangements.