Evelyn Marie Christie

Evelyn "Marie" Christie
11/16/1925 – 8/5/2014

Evelyn "Marie" Christie, a Christian with a big heart for everyone, lost her battle with cancer on August 5, 2014. The last surviving child of Alva Chapell "Bud" Banks and Everline Fluitt-Banks, she was a homemaker and military wife, a caring and loyal friend, and an amazing mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, and aunt.

Losing her mother at the age of ten, Marie grew up on a farm with her beloved sister Verdell stepping in to help her through the hardest times.

Marie often boasted of her four sons and held them in the highest regard. She was extremely proud of her son Ronnie's accomplishments in the restaurant industry and how he and his beautiful wife Vickie so graciously helped the victims of the massive Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines. She loved showing photos of Ron and Vickie's children and grandchildren, and was delighted when Ron and his family moved back to the USA and the town where she lived.

Her son Steve has been a life-long entertainer. She loved sharing his music with friends, and considered every newspaper and magazine article about him a real keepsake. While she regretted that Steve usually lived so far away, she loved visiting him in the beautiful locations to which his career took him. She always bragged that he came to see her often and never let a week pass without calling her. When Steve and his lovely wife Terri finally tied the knot, Marie was excited to gain another daughter and add two more grandchildren to her family.

Marie's sons Dana and Doug were the largest twins ever born in the hospital in Orleans, France. She was very proud of her record-breaking baby boys and never missed an opportunity to tell people the story of their births. Even in her final days in the Hospice of the Comforter, she never failed to tell the nurses about her precious twin sons. Before she moved to a retirement community, her son Dana, who was a UPS delivery driver, often spent his lunch breaks with her. She truly enjoyed seeing him for these special lunch dates, and often joked about how rough it was when she was on a diet and Dana hated her low-fat cheese.

Marie always said she didn't have a favorite son, but Doug worked at Cape Canaveral and she always swelled with pride whenever a space launch was occurring. She would encourage everyone to go outside and watch the launch with her.

Always very proud of her daughters-in-law, Marie sometimes lovingly said that she had to raise four rambunctious boys just in order to get her girls.

She is survived by Ronald Mal Christie and his wife Vickie of Orlando, Florida; Steve Christie and his wife Terri of Bon Aqua, Tennessee; Dana Christie of Longwood, Florida; and Doug Christie of Cocoa Beach, Florida; six grandchildren, Michele Christie of Angeles City, Philippines, Raymond Christie of Orlando, Florida, Carmen Marie Rivera of San Antonio, Texas, Jennifer Christie of Locust Grove, Virginia, Stephanie Spear of Boston, Massachusetts, and Tabitha Ratchford of Bon Aqua, Tennessee; and five great-grandchildren, Ryan Christie, Tien Christie, Nicole Christie, Danielle Christie, and Nathan Spear. She is also survived by her beloved niece and nephew, Carolyn Cruse and Tom Butler, and their spouses, plus numerous great-nieces and nephews and great-great-nieces and nephews.

A woman with immeasurable love for her many dear friends, Marie always saved countless tokens of affection from them and her adoring family members. She will be greatly missed by many, many people.