Roberta K. Christian
Roberta Kaley Christian | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | March 19, 1913 New York, USA |
| Died | July 30, 1971 Fairbanks, Alaska, USA |
Roberta Kaley Christian (March 19, 1913 - July 30, 1971) was an American Bahá’í who was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for pioneering to Zimbabwe.
Biography[edit]
Chrstian was born in central New York in the United States in 1913. She became a Bahá’í in approximately 1936 and married fellow Bahá’í W. Kenneth Christian at some point. She served as an editor of the American publication Bahá’í News for three years and wrote Bahá’í children's books.[1]
In 1953 Christian, her husband, and their son Roger pioneered to Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, to support the work of the Ten Year Crusade for which they were named Knights of Bahá’u’lláh. They were unable to find employment and due to government restrictions were severely limited in their ability to teach the Faith and they received permission from Shoghi Effendi to pioneer to Greece. They settled in Athens and helped establish the cities first organized Bahá’í group. In 1957 they pioneered to Djakarta, Indonesia, and Kenneth passed away there in 1959.[1]
After her husbands passing Christian returned to the United States settling in California. In January 1967 she pioneered to Alaska to support the States Bahá’í community speaking at conferences and summer schools on pioneering. She returned to California then returned to Alaska in February, 1971, settling in Fairbanks with her son and daughter-in-law.[2]
In July 1971 Christian passed away in a fire. The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after her passing:
GRIEVED TRAGIC PASSING KNIGHT BAHAULLAH ROBERTA CHRISTIAN HER DEVOTED SERVICES ALASKA NINE YEAR PLAN WORTHY ADDITION LAURELS GARNERED PIONEER EFFORTS RHODESIA AND GREECE COMPANY LATE HUSBAND WILLIAM KENNETH CHRISTIAN DURING WORLD CRUSADE CONVEY FAMILY ASSURANCE PRAYERS PROGRESS HER SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 497. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 498. View as PDF.
