CEDAR FALLS --- Former sheriff  Wendell H. "Chris" Christensen, of Cedar Falls, who died Tuesday at Sartori Memorial Hospital., was being remembered for all he did for the department. 

The 80-year-old Christensen was Black Hawk County sheriff from 1974 to 1988. "Chris was a fair person and I learned a lot from him," said Mike Kubik, who took the office after Christensen retired. 

He said Christensen was always there to back up his deputies during major cases, for example bringing relief to officers who guarded the scene during the investigation of the Mark family murders in rural Cedar Falls in 1975. 

"We couldn't leave the scene," Kubik said. "And the next thing you know, he shows up with bags of food." 

Kubik said Christensen paid for the food out of his own pocket. 

"He was a good guy.  He really reorganized the sheriff's office when he took over, made a lot of improvements," said Wayne Boots, who was Christensen's chief deputy. 

Boots said establishing the rank structure was one of Christensen's first accomplishments as sheriff. 

"He was firm, but he was fair," said Rick Abben, the current chief deputy. "He was very professional, and he expected that out of his people." 

Christensen long advocated for a new county jail, often arguing with the County Board of Supervisors about prisoner overcrowding in the 64-cell facility. 

It wasn't until after his retirement --- and on the heels of a state and grand jury concerns --- that the county was able to pass a referendum to borrow money for a 272-bed jail in 1995. 

Then-sheriff Kubik remembers he was at a conference in Colorado, and it was Christensen who called to tell him the news. 

"He said 'we finally got it,'" Kubik said. 

Born in Nashua, the Korean Conflict-era Army veteran was a Cedar Falls police officer from 1957 to 1961. He joined the Sheriff's Office in 1962. 

After retirement, he moved to Florida and recently returned to Iowa. 

The family will receive friends from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Richardson Funeral Home.