Margery "Chris" Wulf

Chris Wulf, 97, of Great Falls, passed away Monday, October 5, 2015, at her home surrounded by family and friends. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2015 at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel with a reception following at Park Plaza Condominiums. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Chris was born November 13, 1917, to Albert J. and Nellie (Mulhall) Christensen in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Educated in Idaho Falls, she graduated in 1935 from Idaho Falls High School. She then attended The College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho, where she majored in Latin. Chris grew up in a home where there was always music. Her father, who was an engineer was also a talented pianist. She inherited his musical talent and began playing the piano as a small child and continued to play as an accompanist and for her and her familys pleasure. She also sang in a quartet in high school and a trio in college. As a result of her love of music, her family enjoyed access to music at home as well as at Community Concerts and Great Falls Symphony presentations. On January 10, 1940, she eloped during a snow storm with Thaine R. Wulf. They had a happy, full life together until he died in 1992. In 1948, they moved to Great Falls because he wanted to be in the cattle business in Montana. They had two daughters; Nancy born in 1943 and Julie born in 1949. Although Thaine never retired, they traveled to Mexico for 11 winters, extensively in the United States including Hawaii, often to Canada, and to Asia. With curiosity about the world Chris also traveled extensively with friends and family to Europe, Asia and Africa. Chris was a professional volunteer for many years with several organizations including the Junior League of Great Falls, the Charles M. Russell Museum, the PTA, the Montana and Cascade County Re"public"an Parties, as well as serving on many other community boards. She loved to organize activities and helped coordinate the second Great Falls Junior League Follies in the early fifties. She was also active in the Girl Scouts, serving as a troop leader and on the board. Her favorite commitment was P.E.O. She was a member of Chapter I for 48 years where she held all the various offices. She began a small fund raising project selling sponge dish scrubbers which was quite successful for the chapter and she became known as the sponge lady. Chris shared membership in Chapter I with her daughter, Nancy and granddaughters Melissa and Gretchen. Chris was an avid tennis player and golfer, and even made a hole in one while golfing at Columbia Falls with her brother Bud. She also enjoyed playing bridge. Her mother and grandmother taught her to play when she was 10, so they could play three hand bridge together. In addition to being their bridge partner she became their driver when she was ten so they could travel from Idaho Falls to Salt Lake City to visit relatives, although she had to sit on a pile of phonebooks to see over the steering wheel. Chris is survived by her daughters, Nancy (Jim) Pannell and Julie (Frank DiNenna) Wulf; grandchildren Melissa (David) Hite, Gretchen Munderloh, Jesse Melvin, Christopher (Janet) Pannell; five great-grandchildren, one great-great granddaughter (with another expected on November 17th), sisters-in-law Jackie Christensen and Ruth Wulf; brother-in-law Warren Wulf; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Thaine Wulf; brothers, James P. Bud Christensen and Robert B. Christensen; brothers-law Keith and Ranald Wulf; sisters-in-law Efrosene and Vera Wulf, and Virginia Christensen; niece Janet Christensen; nephew K.R. Wulf. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the C.M. Russell Museum, 400 13th Street North, Great Falls, MT 59401, Great Falls Symphony Association, PO Box 1078, Great Falls, MT 59403 or to an organization of the donors choice.