Body of Springfield woman recovered from Sangamon River Sunday identified
Menard County authorities have identified the body of a Springfield woman found in the Sangamon River in Petersburg Sunday.
Linda Christensen, 76, formerly lived in Petersburg, said Ben Hollis, the Menard County chief deputy sheriff and coroner. While final autopsy results were pending, foul play was not suspected, he said.
Hollis said authorities believed Christensen went into river Friday "but we just don't know an exact time."
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Christensen's body was found in a small brushy area of the river north of the Illinois 123 bridge just after 4 p.m. Sunday by a group of search and rescue personnel.
Her white Lincoln SUV was located near the same bridge early Friday morning. The discovery led to a search of the area around the bridge and the river by Illinois State Police's Air Operations, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police, Christian Aid Ministries, and local police and fire departments.
Hollis said he had been in touch with Christensen's family. Hollis said Christensen was a longtime elementary school teacher who had retired from the PORTA school district.
Christensen's husband, Dave, taught at the high school level in the district and also was retired.
Hollis said he wasn't sure when the couple moved out of the area.
"Everybody knew her," Hollis said. "She was a great lady, very kind."
Christensen would have been familiar with the area where she was found, Hollis said, though he did not know why she was there Friday. He wouldn't comment on her medical condition.
Petersburg Mayor Rick Snyder said the incident has devastated the community.
"Of course, everyone is sad because they have fond memories of her," said Snyder, reached Tuesday. "(They still have) a lot of friends and families here in town. It's hard to put into words how you feel about it... A lot of prayer and a lot of thinking it through."
PORTA Superintendent Matt Brue said both had retired from their teaching careers when he arrived 19 years ago, but they were fixtures at athletic events in Petersburg with their son, Jay.
Brue said a marker commemorates Jay Christensen as a top fan at Jack Coil Field, the high school's football stadium and track. Jay died in 2007.
"They were great people," Brue said of Dave and Linda Christensen. "In the short time I knew them when I first got here, they were well-respected in the community."
In addition to her husband, Linda Christensen is survived by two daughters, Kari Murphy and Erin Christensen.
Illinois State Police investigators were assisting Petersburg Police with the investigation.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: The woman recovered from the Sangamon River in Petersburg is identfied
