Marian "Billy" Christensen Brog

Marian "Billy" Christensen Brog of La Grande, 91, passed away July 14, 2011 in Rexburg, Idaho. Billy was born on January 23, 1920 in Arco, Idaho. She was the daughter of Marion Martin "Chris" and Wilda Stone Christensen. She lived the first six years of her life in several places in Idaho and in Bend, Oregon. When Billy was six, her parents moved to La Grande, where Chris opened a grocery store, Chris's Foods.

Billy graduated from La Grande High School in 1938 and attended to the University of Oregon. While she was there, she was inducted into Mortarboard (an academic honorary) and was Phi Beta Kappa. She was a member of Alphi Chi Omega sorority. She graduated with an education degree in 1942.

Billy worked at the State Department of Education in Salem, Oregon and at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington and then returned home to La Grande to work as assistant registrar at Eastern Oregon College for several years.

She married Edward Wayne Brog, son of Albert and Ella Steeby Brog, of La Grande on September 10, 1949. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on June 14, 1968. They were happily married for 60 years.

Ed and Billy are the parents of two daughters, Molly Jane Brog of La Grande and Ann Christen Brog Hartvigsen of Rexburg, ID. They have a son-in-law, M. Kip Hartvigsen; grandchildren--Andrew Brog Hartvigsen of Seattle, WA, Mark Christian Hartvigsen of Boise, ID, Matthew Kip Hartvigsen and wife, Emily Carlson Hartvigsen, of North Salt lake, UT, and Ann Kathryn Hartvigsen of Rexburg, ID; and a great grandson, Max Edward Hartvigsen of North Salt Lake, UT.

Billy was a full-time stay-at-home mother and homemaker, and she was very happy in that role. Nothing made Billy happier than her family. Her family was her priority throughout her life. And if being a mother was a happy experience for her, being a grandmother and great grandmother made her life complete.


She was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her life and served faithfully in the Jr. Sunday School, Sunday School, MIA, and Relief Society. She was La Grande Second Ward Relief Society President and on the LDS Stake Relief Society Board.

Funeral services are under the direction of Daniels-Knopp and will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at the LDS Stake Center on Gekeler Lane. Contributions may be made to the LDS Family History Center in La Grande, OR.

.