Bill was born in Teaneck, NJ on March 20, 1932. Prior to obtaining his degree from Amherst, he served in the Navy for four years. He received his medical degree from the University of Rochester in 1962 and completed a two-year surgical residency at Albany Medical Center in 1964. He pioneered industrial/occupational medicine in Bakersfield, CA, and dedicated over thirty-four years to perfecting his specialty. He was an incredibly talented and dedicated physician.
Outside the medical office he was once a tennis enthusiast and avid golfer. However, he was in his glory in the kitchen. He was the consummate host whose greatest joys were cooking and entertaining for his friends and family. His parties were legendary; his birthday and holiday parties, and especially his Superbowl parties, were the talk of the town.
In the twilight of his life he came to realize he had God in his soul and found emotional peace.
He is survived by his son Jeffrey Christiansen, and wife Stacey and their children Connor and Danielle; his daughter Jennifer Drake (Amherst ’82) and husband Roger (Amherst ’83), and their children Whitney and Bonnie; his daughter Lisa Haddad and husband James and their children Michael, Allie, and Ryan; his daughter Dr. Dana Christiansen and husband Craig Webb and their children Trevor, Collette, and Domonique; his daughter Erika Jones and husband James and their children Jestia, Jaimie, and Joshua and two great-grandchildren, Annika and Nicholas. He is also survived by his two brothers, Chris Prentiss and Richard Christiansen.
-Jennifer Drake ’82