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Dr. Christine Sorensen Irvine, beloved professor, and former Dean of the College of Education at University of Hawaii at Manoa, died on Friday, January 27, 2023 in Honolulu, Hawaii. She was 64 years old. Christine was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa on March 15, 1958 to John Franklin Knupp and Jayne Rochelle Lautenschlager Knupp. She attended Lufkin High School in Lufkin, Texas. At the age of 16, she accepted a scholarship to Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, and later attended the University of Houston, where, in 1982, she attained her BA degree in Speech Communication. Christine completed her Master's Degree in Professional Studies in Education at Iowa State University (ISU) in 1990, and was awarded her PhD in Professional Studies in Higher Education in 1994. In 1996, she became Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Northern Illinois University (NIU). In 2002, she became the Dean of the College of Education at NIU. In 2007, Christine accepted the position as Dean of the College of Education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Christine was Professor of Learning Design and Technology in the College of Education throughout the years she served as Dean, and returned to full time professorship in 2012. She was a leader nationally and internationally throughout her career. Her passion was helping people attain their PhD degrees. The University of Hawaii at Manoa has established the Dr. Christine Sorensen Irvine Memorial Endowment Fund for doctoral students in the College of Education to honor her legacy.
Christine married Michael Andrew Irvine on May 11, 2013, and was happily married until his death in 2021. They were active members of Trinity Missionary Baptist Church and shared a love of music, reading, and the ocean. Christine delighted in dancing, singing, traveling, telling stories, and making people laugh. If there is one sentence to sum up her life, it is this: "She did everything from the heart."
Christine is survived by her daughter Kathryn (Sorensen) Veyna, son-in-law Daniel Veyna, grandson Jacob Veyna, granddaughters Evelynn Veyna and Ava Veyna, sons Michael Sorensen and Andrew Sorensen, step-daughter Chelsea Irvine-Pascua, step-sons Colton Irvine and Justin Irvine, her father, John F. Knupp, her stepmother Loyce Rey Knupp, and her sister Emery Lauten Meadows. Christine was preceded in death by her mother Jayne Lauten-Borg, sister Dianne (Knupp) Empringham, brother Daniel Franklin Knupp, and her husband Michael Andrew Irvine.
A memorial service will be held Saturday February 18, 2023
at 11 a.m. at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, 3950 Paine Circle, Honolulu, HI 96818. Flowers may be sent to the church for the memorial service.
A scattering ceremony will be held on Monday, February 20, 2023 at 12 p.m. at The Valley of the Temples Memorial Park
(in the Scattering Garden), 47-200 Kahekili Highway, Kaneohe, HI 96744. A memorial plaque in Christine's honor will be installed
next to her husband, Michael Andrew Irvine, on a memorial
wall in the Scattering Garden.
