Freestone County, Texas
Obituaries

	
Polk County Enterprise
October 12, 2008

Ernestine “Tina” Christian
LIVINGSTON - Ernestine “Tina” Christian died on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008, just
a few days shy of her 89th birthday. She was born in Kirvin, in Freestone
County, to William I. Goolsby and Ella Teer Goolsby. She attended Kirvin High
School. As she grew up in Kirvin, Tina attended Kirvin Baptist Church where
she later wed her husband, the late A. B. Christian. The funeral services
honoring her life and memory were also held at Kirvin Baptist Church on
Saturday morning. She was married to A.B. Christian for 41 years until his 
early death in 1980. They briefly served as editors of the Streetman, Texas 
newspaper and then moved to Houston. There, while A.B. worked as a 
longshoreman at the Ship Channel and then at Hughes Tool, Tina raised their 
three children and was a homemaker. She and A.B. were active members of 
First Baptist Church Galena Park and later First Baptist Church Jacinto City,
both in Houston. After A.B.’s death, Tina resided in a picturesque spot on 
Lake Livingston, the site of many family gatherings over the years. Tina was
known to friends and family as high-spirited, fun-loving, and strong-willed.
These qualities made her a fierce competitor and athlete through the years. 
She played city league volleyball, earned numerous bowling trophies with a 
high game of 260+ and a high series of 600+, was an excellent bass fisherman,
and loved to play an intense game of 42, Canasta, Skipbo or Bingo. She spent
much of her life enjoying and creating beautiful music, a gift and passion 
she has passed on to children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She 
sang in the church choir and ladies’ trio, and even sang in a women’s gospel
quartet in her high school and young adult years that was featured at the 
regional Gospel Singing Convention, where the quartet was broadcast on the 
radio and accompanied by the pianist for the famed Stamps Quartet, Marion 
Snider. Family members say her tenacity has enabled her to persevere in the 
face of various trials in her lifetime. She faithfully stood by her husband
as he battled cancer, she conquered the new challenges of living alone and
independently after his death, and she comforted her dear friend, Bill 
Chenault, through his struggle with cancer, as well. More recently, she 
survived the loss of her Livingston home to fire in 2005, and has endured a 
number of serious health problems. Above all else, the legacy of strong C
hristian faith and moral convictions that Tina and her husband A.B. have 
lived and have impressed upon their family stand as a tribute and testimony 
to her life, according to family members. She is survived by her son, Dennis 
Christian and wife Radene of Mabank; her daughters, Beverly McLean of
Livingston and Delania Potcinske and husband Dan of Houston and five
grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, who know her as Granny and 
GiGi. Funeral services were held at Kirvin Baptist Church, Saturday Oct. 4. 
The service was officiated by her niece’s husband, the Rev. Johnny Layton, 
and her granddaughter’s husband, the Rev. Dr. Todd Still. Special music was
provided by her granddaughter, Shelley Jennings and the other grandchildren. 
In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in Tina’s name to the American 
Heart Association or American Cancer Society.