Mary "Tina" Christina Christensen

Mary Christina Christensen, lovingly known as Tina, passed away on June 4, 2025, at the age of 59 after a brief battle with breast cancer. Born on August 4, 1965 in Phoenix, Arizona, she most recently made her home in Magnolia, Texas.

 

Tina is survived by her former husband Larry Peden, her three daughters: Chloé Valadez, Nikki Norris, and Maddy Peden, her siblings: Billy Shearer, Dale Shearer, and Albert Christensen, and her beloved grandchildren: Julian Valadez and Dominic Valadez.

 

Tina was bold, creative, funny, and fiercely loving. She brought warmth and energy to everything she touched. A passionate cook, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by attending culinary school as an adult, passing her love of food and kitchen wisdom on to her daughters. She found joy in the outdoors, hiking, kayaking, and gardening, and she dreamed of one day hiking the Appalachian Trail and Spain’s El Camino de Santiago. At home, she nurtured both plants and people, and her affection extended to the many animals she adopted over the years.

 

Tina was also a talented craftswoman, known for her love of painting, embroidery, and weekend craft runs to Hobby Lobby with her children. Though she worked as a bookkeeper for much of her life, her real legacy is the creativity, strength, and independence she instilled in those who loved her.

 

A celebration of life will be held on June 10, 2025. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Tina’s name to Friends For Life Animal Shelter, honoring her lifelong love of animals.

 

Her family finds comfort in knowing that Tina’s adventurous spirit is now free to wander. As the author John Muir wrote:

 

“The mountains are calling and I must go.”

 

Tina answered that call in her own way every day, with courage, humor, and a love for the world around her. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.