Judith Olson Christian

To be a really good singer, you have to know what you are singing about and believe in it with passion. That’s how our “best dancer” also became a member of one of the nation’s outstanding collegiate choirs—Augustana College’s A Cappella Choir that was invited to sing on several continents. Judy didn’t need a guidance counselor to help her choose a college. She had inner guidance. Her Lutheran faith was strong and she applied only to Augustana in South Dakota where she majored in French and English and minored in biology.

That was the end of her romance with her high school boyfriend Oogie (Ogden) Smith (’55). He and Judy had been part of the religious group Young People coordinated by Ralph and Natalie Howell in Sea Cliff. Oogie had graduated and gone to Colorado School of Mines. South Dakota’s early winter and sub-zero temperatures were new to Judy, but “After the first snowfall (in early October), I learned to focus on things other than the weather.” In addition to touring the US and Europe with the choir, she co-edited the college yearbook and worked on its newspaper, and was inducted into the senior honorary society for academic and leadership achievement.

After college she roomed with two girlfriends from Augustana in suburban Minneapolis where she taught French and English at Osseo HS. One day her roommates invited friends for dinner with Judy designated as cook. One of the guests was Ron Christian, a student from Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Judy says, “I guess he liked my cooking...and still does!” The supper was in September, their wedding the next June. After Ron’s graduation and ordination they moved to San Diego for his one year internship, then to his first parish in Maryland. Since 1969 they have been in Virginia where Ron started Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Fairfax. To start the church Ron had to canvass the area to find a congregation, but with Judy at his side, he has been so successful that the church has grown large and now occupies two sites.

As pastor and wife Judy says, “We live in a ‘glass house’ that has not always been easy.” She was careful to be sure her children led normal lives instead of trying to mold them into model kids. Both children now have their own families. When the kids began school Judy studied to be a librarian. “Several postgraduate degrees later, my career path eventually took me into school administration in Fairfax County Public Schools.” Judy has been librarian, supervising librarian, principal, elementary coordinator, and a cluster director. Teaching, however, she could never leave. “It's in my DNA. Even though I was an administrator for so many years, I always taught staff development classes as often as possible.” The only level she never taught was 7th and 8th grades.
She recently retired but continues to do occasional consulting. Meanwhile she also tasted politics when she and the kids became involved in Ron’s 2002 campaign to become the Democratic nominee for the Virginia state senate. “The whole family walked neighborhoods, made signs, did phone bank duty, and hosted meet-and-greet parties. We were totally exhausted by the last day. We relied on the goodness of so many people to get out the vote, march in the parades, hand out campaign material, etc. It was a firsthand learning experience for us in what America is all about.” Ron lost by a narrow margin and they may try again.
Judy’s zest for dancing was fired when she took after school lessons for 8th graders, lessons our other best dancer, Bob Clarke, also attended. “Bob and I danced a lot together, so we were comfortable ‘showing off’ a bit. I still enjoy dancing, but now we only dance at weddings. Ho, hum...”
Ron has also retired from the church he founded, but he and Judy continue as active members of the congregation just as she was in Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Glen Head. “My faith has been the grounding factor in my life and I continue to be grateful for each day and the opportunities afforded me.”

Judith Olson Christian
10001 Manor Place
Fairfax, VA 22032
christianjudy@msn.com