Obituary: Harry Sigurd Christiansen Jr., 83, of Ludington

Harry Christiansen

Harry Sigurd Christiansen Jr., 83, of Ludington, formerly of Glendale Heights, Ill., passed away peacefully on Friday, March 27, 2026, with his wife by his side. He was born May 9, 1942, in Chicago, to Harry Sigurd Christiansen and Dorothy Christiansen (Fricke).

Harry spent his early years growing up on Chicago’s northwest side, eventually moving to Rolling Meadows, Ill., where he attended Arlington high school, graduating in 1960. After high school, he attended the University of Illinois, majoring in engineering. As a summer intern for Arlington Seating Company, he joined a team of engineers in Boston, where he helped to redesign the stadium seating inside Fenway Park – an accomplishment he was very proud of. He spent much of his career as a design engineer for International Harvester in Melrose Park, Ill.. He married Carol Machinski on June 30, 1985. In 1992, they moved to Ludington, where Harry continued his career as a design engineer for Harsco Rail until his retirement.

Harry had a variety of hobbies and interests: working on cars, grilling, home projects, gardening, travel, and photography to name a few. Family was central to his life, and vacations often reflected his love of history and learning. Whether visiting archaeological digs, exploring historical sites, or spending time at museums, zoos, and nature preserves, Harry took every opportunity to teach his family about history and the world around them. His love for exploring new places, trying new restaurants, and traveling continued into retirement. He and Carol enjoyed cruising to Alaska, their many trips across the country exploring new destinations, and frequent visits back to the Chicago area to spend time with family and friends.

Harry was funny, social, enjoyed meeting new people, and easily made friends wherever he went. He could talk with anyone about nearly anything and enjoyed sharing his one-of-a-kind opinions on a variety of topics with anyone who would listen. Always ready to lend a hand, he will be remembered for his sense of humor, kindness, friendliness toward others, and for being an all-around good guy.

Harry is survived by his wife, Carol Christiansen; brother Don (Michele) Christiansen; children, Caryn (Jerry) Kambitsis, Eric (Amy) Christiansen, Julie Voelker (Lloyd Brewster), and Laurie (Rod) Greenfield; grandchildren, Vincent (Savanna), Nikolas, and Emily Kambitsis, Bennett, Lindsay, and Grant Christiansen, and Matthew and Tori Fedora (Karmon Keese); great-grandchildren, Trey and Trystan Helm, and Lilah Keese; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Harry and Dorothy; his in-laws George and Clara Machinski; and numerous aunts and uncles.

A celebration of life will be held April 25, 2026, at noon at Grace Funeral Home in Ludington, with visitation beginning at 11 a.m. A light luncheon will follow the service. A private burial will take place at Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington.

Arrangements were entrusted to Grace Funeral Home and Cremation Services. www.GraceCremations.com