Paul Henry Christenson, 92, died April 29 in Red Wing. He was born Sept. 9, 1933, in Wabasha, the son of Elmer and Ruth (Henryson) Christenson.

Paul grew up in Como Park. At an early age he started playing piano and at age 16 he was the organist for Como Park Lutheran Church. When he wasn’t playing music, he was swimming, diving, ice skating and cheerleading at Murray High School.

He attended St. Olaf College, then earned a degree from Luther Seminary and served three parishes in Wisconsin, plus churches in Decorah, Iowa, and Evanston, Ill.

As the Christenson Family Singers, he, his wife, Lois (Loey), and their children sang their way through Europe in 1974, 1977 and 1981. They performed at the Nordic Fest in Decorah for 15 years.

With each parish call, Paul worked on behalf of social justice and the social gospel, always including the local priest or rabbi in this pursuit. Paul and his wife finished their ministry in Sandnessjøen, Norway. That year, Paul preached in Norwegian to seven small congregations throughout the area near the Arctic Circle.

In 1996, Paul and Loey retired to Red Wing, where they opened the Red Wing Blackbird B&B and hosted guests for seven years.

During this time, he served as a church choir director and handbell player, launched the TAG (The Aged Gifted) Speaker Series, led local Building Bridges conflict resolution tours to Norway and Bosnia & Herzegovina, belonged to Rotary and Sons of Norway, and rarely missed a senior church choir rehearsal or performance.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, wife and son-in-law.

Paul is survived by six children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.