Donald
L. Christians is an American story of the last century in which an
adventuresome, generous soul migrates from a small farming community
to cities and broader global experience. Don looked back on
Grafton, Iowa where he grew up (recent census of 252) and wrote
Homer's Whip, that depicted a tiny prairie town with timeless small
town values. At the same time, he embraced the diverse
world.
During his second year at Luther College he enlisted in
the U.S. Army to fight World War II, and served 1 ½ years in the
occupational forces in Japan in 1946 when he was just 18. Like
so many farm boys, his world was transformed. Upon discharge,
Don finished college with a degree in political science from the
University of Northern Iowa n 1950 and later earned a Master's Degree
from Northern Colorado University.
Don headed to California in
1955, settling in North Beach, living the life of jazz, card playing,
bocce ball, horse racing, and writing, while beginning his 29 year
career teaching in the San Francisco Unified School District.
There he met and married the artist/fellow teacher, Joan Clay, in
1960 and they spent their honeymoon driving a VW Camper Van to Tierra
Del Fuego in Chile. Both often taught the most challenging
students to whom they devoted their creativity, respect, and good
humor.
In
1967, Don was appointed Associate Director of the Peace Corps Program
in Ethiopia where Don and Joan lived until 1969 where Don was
assigned to support the work of volunteers in a remote region of the
country. He was extremely effective in all aspects of this
assignment. He mentored volunteers in the classroom and in
school protocol and interaction, e.g., with
headmasters who required extensive memorization even though the
students did not have pencils or paper. He also modeled the
expected interaction with the broader community. His expertise,
life experience, and winning manner made him the ideal person to
relate to volunteers, faculty, administrators, townspeople as well as
the Peace Corps bureaucracy. He supported volunteers who
undertook ambitious, often impactful projects
that departed from the mainstream and
served as the trusted confidant of Peace Corps Ethiopia leadership,
shaping policy for the Program as a whole.
In
1969, Don was appointed Country Director Peace Corps Dominican
Republic. Visitors recall Don selling co-op crafts to tourists
on cruises on Christmas Day. Don and Joan remained in the
Dominican Republic until they were recalled by President Nixon and
Don worked on the Muskie campaign until Don and Joan returned to San
Francisco in 1973. Don taught high school Civics for 29 years,
retiring from Galileo High School in San Francisco in 1986
where he was beloved as an inspiring teacher by a wide range of
students.
Over
the years Don made an enormous number of friends from his many
interests and vocations, reflecting his enthusiasm and variety of
interests. He and Joan owned shares in 22
race horses and had particular success with "Mac Rhapsody"
and "Pleasure Grounds". Don worked at Golden Gate
Fields as a mutual clerk. He wrote numerous articles for horse
magazines and hosted a radio program for 5 years on KWMR in West
Marin interviewing authors. After Joan's passing, he met Neva
Beach, a book editor and they were together until her passing in
2010. Don has been living with their dog
Cody in San Francisco's colorful Mission District since he met
Neva and they were often seen feeding homeless men and women in a
local park as well as taking neighborhood children to zoos and
museums.
Don
loved bridge and bocce ball and excelled at both. He was a member of
the Marin Bocce Ball team that won the Northern California Seniors
championship, and he played in bridge tournaments around the
U.S. as a Silver Life Master.