David Peter Niels Christensen

December 20, 1937 – February 15, 2026

Boise, Idaho – David P. N. Christensen, 88, of Boise, Idaho, formerly of Reno, Nevada, died peacefully at The Terraces, his home since 2017, when he and his wife, Betty, moved there. David was a devoted husband, loving father, and proud grandfather. He is predeceased by his wife, Elizabeth Christensen, his parents, Chris and Nina Christensen, and sister, “Kaki” Sawyer. He is survived by his brother, Paul, and sister-in-law, Cindy, of Reno, Nevada, his son, Niels and his wife Kathy of Wyncote, PA, his daughter Venessa and her husband Mike, of Port Orchard, WA, his beloved grandchildren Will (Marlee), Emma, Sydnee, Sean, Lillian, and Logan, as well as nieces, nephews and their families.

David lived a life of deep faith, worldwide travel, lifelong learning, and true devotion to those he loved. To sit with him for any length of time was a treat, for he was steeped in the Danish tradition of connection and conversation he learned from his immigrant parents and their close-knit community in Reno. No matter your age, he would enjoy conversing and sharing captivating stories. He led a fascinating life.

David carved a circuitous path, taking him from Reno, where he grew up and studied history and geology at the Reno campus of the University of Nevada, to service in the U.S. Army, to countries across the globe during his 25-year career with the U.S. State Department. He finally settled in Boise, Idaho, where he and Betty retired in 1987. He went on to have a 10-year career with the Idaho Department of Commerce working under several governors to build international trade relationships, as well as 20 years as an adjunct professor at Boise State University, where he taught international business, African history, and global relations. Reflective of his teaching acumen and the personal relationships he so loved to build, David was voted Best Professor by students multiple times. His work ethic was matched by his intelligence, humility, humor, and curiosity, and in any setting, he was a valued teacher, colleague, and mentor.

David was an accidental diplomat. A professor during David’s masters studies had encouraged him to take the American foreign service exam, and so he went with a friend who was also taking the test. To his surprise, David passed and was invited to join the foreign service. (Sadly, his friend was not.) His first post was Brussels, Belgium, in 1963, where he met the love of his life, Betty, who was also working there in her first post as a secretary. They were married in 1965 in Brussels, and then accepted a post in Libreville, Gabon. While there, David became fluent in French, and they had their first child. Their second child was born in 1973 while they were living in Arlington, VA.

Following Gabon, they enjoyed posts in Togo, Iceland, Australia, and Indonesia, with stints in the US for graduate work at Stanford University and work in Washington, DC. While living abroad, David and his family explored cities, historical sites, and other points of interest, often squeezed into the family car, a VW bug.

David possessed a lifelong love of learning. His university studies spanned geology, history, and business. While living in West Africa, David would travel throughout the region, sitting with tribal elders, chiefs, and kings, gathering and recording oral histories of local tribes. He was a voracious reader with an expansive home library and a penchant for clipping news stories of note from The Wall Street Journal. He even learned to cook when Betty was going through breast cancer treatment.

Beyond intellectual pursuits, David’s interests included hunting, hiking, running, and camping. His lack of luck when hunting deer led to a description of hunting as “camping with guns.” Nevertheless, David enjoyed whatever time outdoors he could get. This included cherished time at The Land, a home base in Eastern Oregon that he and Betty purchased in 1977, and where the family has enjoyed being together, and being truly off the grid.

When living at the Terraces, local residents would recognize David and Betty out for their daily morning walks in the neighborhood, which David prioritized to bring joy and consistency to Betty’s days. Very little would get in the way of those walks.

Retirement was hardly a time to relax, and in addition to continued work, which David loved, he and Betty took time to travel and also be with their children and grandchildren. They drove up to the Arctic Circle and Alaska, including 500 miles of unpaved road known as the Dempster Highway. Family trips to Vancouver, BC, Sebago Lake, Maine (where in his 70s he enjoyed tubing off the back of a boat for the first time!), and Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks were highlights. Even after Betty’s passing David’s passion for travel and adventure remained. A trip to Antarctica in 2023 with his daughter Venessa allowed him to achieve his dream of setting foot on every continent.

An unwavering through line for David was his faith. David was involved in his Lutheran church in Boise and read his devotions daily. David is now with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and reunited with his wife, Betty, in God’s heavenly kingdom.

In his final days, David received attentive and loving hospice care for which the family is grateful. David’s family would like to thank the dedicated staff of The Terraces' community—across independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing—for their care of David over the past several years, and for their kindness and support over the time David and Betty lived there.

David's family will receive family and friends on Monday, February 23rd from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at Summers Funeral Home, Ustick Chapel, 3629 East Ustick Road, Meridian, ID. A funeral service in his memory will be held Tuesday, February 24th, at 10:30 a.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 5009 West Cassia St., Boise, ID. Donations in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery in Baker City, OR. With The Land just up the road, Baker City has been a favorite stopping place for the family for over 50 years.