Christie Arnold

If you knew Christie Arnold, you knew she was magical. Our creative, talented and spirited Christie Lynn (Hansen) Arnold has gone on to glory, meeting up with her mother, her father, and countless dog and cat siblings … family members all.

Christie’s charisma radiated from her megawatt smile and contagious laughter. Anyone who knew her has experienced laughing until your face and stomach hurt as you tried to catch a breath, all the while pounding on the table pleading with her to please stop! Her joy of living came in a myriad of moments involving both her own stories and the stories of others. This embellisher could take the ordinary story and make it sparkle.

Christie’s story began on April 15th, 1960. She was the third of three girls, with older sisters Carolyn Campbell and Cathy Brown rolling out the red carpet for her. They were born into a music, dance and drama loving household. As an infant, Christie didn’t need to learn to walk as she could swim by the time she was 18-months old. She was one of only three babies in the United States to be able to swim the entire length of a YMCA pool. She had the Red Cross medal to prove it!  She often said she only needed her “gills and fins.” Her lifelong love of the water began at that very early age. She and her family cherished their summers swimming in Whitefish Lake and hours and hours around any pool that would have them. When she finally emerged from the water, looking like The Birth of Venus, Christie began taking ballet lessons. She loved to dance and choreograph for others. She was mesmerizing and brilliant at them both. However, as she grew to adulthood, music and performing became her driving force. She became an exceptionally gifted pianist and singer. Her vocal mentor was the family’s beloved Elizabeth Rowan, a Billings raised opera singer who moved to New York City, but came back to love, mentor, teach, and sometimes even parent the three Hansen sisters. After Elizabeth’s death, her cherished grand piano became a fixture in Christie’s own music room.

Alice Lyon, choir director extraordinaire at the First Congregational Church, insisted on memorization and perfect harmony, which Christie championed way earlier than her two sisters, courtesy of her own perfect, beautiful pitch. Accompanied by her acute ear and her love of performance, she could play the piano and guitar, sing, dance, draw and paint her “little people” and recite any and everything! Never a shy bone in her body, when Christie was 5-years old and attending the Montana State Fair with her family, she walked up to the edge of the stage as Tennessee Ernie Ford was performing and introduced herself. He knelt down, kissed her cheek and sang to her. This was the first of her many theatrical collaborations!

Christie was an adored and respected English teacher at Billings Senior High. She called going into her classroom, “Stepping on the Stage” and high-step she did, for every class she ever taught. Each class was a one-hour presentation where she entertained her students with the knowledge that she wanted to impart on them. She did this for 29 years and changed the lives of countless young minds. She also directed and choreographed numerous musical productions while at Senior High. Her attraction to the stage defined her entire life. Nothing was better than watching her perform. Christie was a brilliant leading lady with starring roles in Hello Dolly, Jesus Christ Superstar, Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, Gypsy, South Pacific, Into the Woods, “A” My Name is Alice, Beehive, Mamma Mia and many more.

It was while on the stage in the 1988 Billings Studio Theater production of “Fiddler on the Roof” that Christie found the love of her life, Howard Arnold. Christie and Howard played Hodel and Perchik, a young couple in love. Christie knew from that moment she would marry Howard and, for almost 35 years, these best friends lived a wonderful life. After years of teaching Shakespeare, the two jumped the pond to travel Shakespeare’s roads and enjoy back-alley pubs. Christie loved tromping around where William strolled, but walking into Windsor Castle, hoping to catch a glimpse of the queen, was one of the highlights of her life!

No man could ever be a more devoted husband than Howard. When Christie fell ill with cancer, Howard stayed even more closely tethered, tending to her every need. He and their two kitty cat kids, Posey Jean and Opie William, will love and miss their beautiful Christie forever.

Like so many artists, Christie was complicated. But, throughout it all, we knew she loved us and that we loved her, and we always will. So many of us fell in love with her presence that she will forever be a part of us. Howard and her big sisters were with her at the end, rolling up the red carpet one last time.

Remember Christie every time you enter a theater, church, or auditorium. Her theater lights will never grow dark, as long as we keep her memory alive. If you’d like to make a contribution in her memory, please choose a cat adoption shelter, church, mental health association, school, or theater arts organization.

Christie will be missed by her loving husband, Howard; sister, Carolyn Campbell (Ty); sister, Cathy Brown (Ken); nephew, Taylor Brown (Karin); great-nephews, Gatlin and Wyatt; nieces, Hannah Brown and Maddy Brown; nephew, Guthrie Brown; her friend and sidekick, Tom Proper; and all her dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her biggest fans: her mother, Barbara (Hardie) Hansen; father, Howard Hansen; and her mentor, Elizabeth Rowan.

We love you Fuzzer.

Please click the attached link, turn up the volume and enjoy the last song Christie recorded. She accompanied herself on her Steinway concert grand piano.

https://vimeo.com/michelottisawyers/christieslullaby

LAMENT/LULLABY

Music and Lyrics by Jay Cravath