Honoring Georgia Christie: A Legacy of Love, Family, and Learning

At the heart of Christie’s Carousel of Learning is the remarkable woman who inspired it all—Georgia Christie, loving mother to 9 children, grandmother to 23 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren, devoted wife, mother, educator, and community leader.

After graduating from Amundsen High School, Georgia pursued a professional dancing career while her high school sweetheart, Gene Christie, served in the United States Marine Corps. They married on August 31, 1946, after Gene returned from the war. Together, they fulfilled their dream of a big family, raising nine children with love, faith, and purpose.

In 1960, the Christie family moved to Park Ridge, drawn by the strong schools and close-knit community. Georgia quickly became a pillar of service, teaching Sunday School for 13 years at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, and leading youth as a Blue Bird Leader and Campfire Girl Leader. But perhaps her most lasting contribution came in 1981, when she and her daughters—Phyllis, Jan, Judy, Nancy—along with daughter-in-law Diane, established St. Mary’s Merry Go Round Preschool and Daycare, which later became Christie’s Carousel of Learning at the Park Ridge Presbyterian Church.

Georgia’s creativity, warmth, and passion shaped every part of the school. She was always busy—teaching, cooking, writing children’s stories about her beloved character Happy Henry, and sewing thousands of costumes for student performances. With the support of her husband Gene and sons Randy, Tom, Bob, and Bill, who ran the family business Better Containers Manufacturing, the Christie legacy of family and service extended far beyond the classroom.

Georgia’s favorite saying and original song lives on in our hearts:

"Smile, smile, smile—and keep it around for a very long while."
 When you see someone wearing a frown, give them a smile and turn it around.

More than four decades later, Christie’s Carousel of Learning remains a joyful, nurturing place where children and families thrive—rooted in family, faith, and a love for learning.