Southern Inyo Hospital dedicates the Christenson Administrative Building
Homegrown physician provided care in SIH, rural Inyo County
A steadfast commitment to the Lone Pine community and a caring approach to rural medicine by longtime Lone Pine physician Don Christenson was recognized recently when the Southern Inyo Healthcare District renamed its office building the Christenson Administrative Building.
Christenson was a home-grown doctor who spent his professional life as a surgeon and doctor working at Southern Inyo Hospital and clinic. He also ventured into Southeast Inyo County to see patients. Christenson lived across the street from Southern Inyo Hospital, on Locust Street in Lone Pine, which allowed him to be available virtually at all hours.
Southern Inyo Hospital in the 1960s and 1970s when Christenson practiced, was a full-service hospital, with more than 20 patient beds and an emergency room, plus the capability to conduct surgeries and births. For many years, the administration building also housed a number of Inyo County programs, such as public health, social services and probation.
The recent dedication ceremony was held in front of the building and featured the traditional ribbon-cutting and refreshments for those who attended. The dedication event included brief comments by SIH Chief Operating Officer/ Administrator Peter Spiers, Fifth District Inyo County Supervisor Matt Kingsley, and Mark Lacey, a longtime friend of Christenson and SIH board member.
The building, located on the northern edge of the SIH campus, was recently upgraded inside and got a landscaping makeover.
The following information about Dr. Christenson’s contributions to Lone Pine, Southeast Inyo County and the Southern Inyo Hospital is on the plaque on the building.
“Donald Lee Christenson MD was known to his friends and patients as “Doctor Don”, or “Doc”. Raised in Keeler, Don attended Lone Pine High School, where he left his studies early to enlist in the Navy at the age of 17 to serve in WWII. After Don’s Navy service was completed, he returned to Lone Pine where he then earned his GED, allowing him to attend college at Fresno State University, and later graduate from New York Medical College. During this period, Don met and married Barbara Ann Christenson, who at the time was training as a nurse. The couple then returned to the beloved Eastern Sierra community of Lone Pine in 1958 to open a medical practice. This paved the path to the “Doc” becoming a boardcertified surgeon in 1961.
“During Dr. Christenson’s career, he successfully operated and effectively saved the lives of many Southern Inyo residents, as well as helping bring many new lives into the world alongside
Milton “Ben” Jones at Southern Inyo Hospital. Don, along with several other doctors, would fly their planes to the outer reaches of Inyo County to provide medical care to its residents in need. Don was a fine doctor and surgeon, but to those who knew him well, he was the epitome of a “Country Doctor” with a sense of humor that was as dry as his bedside manner. Don cared deeply about his community -- both Barbie and Don were great benefactors of community charities and organizational events, especially pertaining to Southern Inyo Hospital.
“This building is named in honor of Dr. Don Christenson for his generosity and commitment to serve Southern Inyo Hospital, and the community it lies within.”