March 5, 1955 — November 30, 2023
Evanston
Tami Lou Christiansen was born on March 5, 1955 in Salt Lake City to Lynn and Jackie Burningham. She was the oldest of four children. She left this earth peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of November 30, 2023. Words cannot describe how heartbroken we are. Tami grew up in the Holladay area and graduated from Skyline High School in 1973. She married Richard Dahlquist (later divorced) and they had two children, Keli and Lance. She married Rolf Christiansen in 1998 until his passing. She reconnected with her high school friend, Barry Coster in 2013, and they enjoyed these last ten years together in Evanston, Wy. She loved living the small town life.
Tami worked in the Jordan and Granite school districts for most of her adult life. However, the most important role to her was being a mother and grandmother. Her kids and grandkids were everything to her. We have no idea how we are going to get through life without her by our side.
Her family would like to thank her for her unconditional love, her support, and her endless hours of making us laugh. There are so many things to share about her. Her ability to trip over nothing was an art form, she loved to travel, she gave excellent advice, she loved anything sweet (mom you’re busted, we found your secret candy drawer), she had an addiction to home décor stores (she never left them empty handed) and she loved to spend as much time as she could with her grandkids in Omaha. Whenever the kids were asked who they loved most, they always said Grandma Tami. She was just a fun person to be around. One of our last conversations was her granddaughter asking her if this is the parking lot she almost fell on her face and her replying “you’re going to have to be a bit more specific, I have almost ate it in many parking lots”. We all cried laughing. That is how we are going to remember her, laughing.
She is survived by her daughter Keli (Dan) Seder, three grandchildren, Ben, Brady and Kate, sisters Trina Burningham and Teri Schneider, brother Todd (Cheryl) Burningham, her partner Barry Coster and his family, many nieces, nephews and friends who all adored her. She is proceeded in death by her son, Lance Dahlquist and parents, Lynn and Jackie Burningham.
An open house celebration honoring Tami’s life will be held for family and friends on Friday, December 8th from 1:00-3:00 pm at Memorial Mountain View Mortuary, 3115 E. 7800 S. A private family graveside service to follow. Tami always wanted to be comfortable. Please dress casual.
