Stafford Van Arnam Christenson è nato a Fergus Fall nel Minnesota il 31 gennaio del 1927 ed è stato un ACBL Gold Life Master che nel corso della sua carriera ha cumulato 4.700 master point.

 Diplomato alle scuole superiori della sua città, si è poi laureato alla Università del Minnesota in ingegneria elettrica.

 Veterano del secondo conflitto mondiale partecipò agli studi atomici nei Laboratori di Argonne.

 Ha lavorato presso la Ottertail Power, la Donovan Construction ed è stato presidente della Vanalt Construction.

 Sposato tre volte e due volte vedovo ha avuto 6 figli.

 Oltre al bridge è stato in gioventù un appassionato di pallavolo e ciclismo.

 Quando è scomparso il 24 febbraio del 2012 viveva a Sun City in Arizona assieme alla terza moglie Sharon, anche lei nota bridgista e sua partner abituale.

Born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, January 31, 1927, to Arthur and Hazel Christenson, Van was a brilliant and generous man, wonderful father, excellent student, and a ACBL Gold Life Master with over 4,700 master points.

He graduated from high school in Fergus Falls, MN , at the age of 16, was accepted into the V-12 Navy College Training Program at age 17 and attended one year each at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Union and Rensselaer in New York, and the University of Minnesota where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.

Van was a veteran of WWII, and was one of nine young men in the U.S. to participate in the first class of Atomic Studies at the Argonne National Laboratories.

He worked for Ottertail Power, Donovan Construction, and was President and CEO of his own firm Vanalt Construction.

Married three times and twice widowed has had 6 children.

Besides playing bridge, his hobbies included: playing volleyball at the St. Paul Athletic Club, exercising at the YMCA, cycling, and spending time with his family.

He was a member of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, MN and Church of the Palms in Sun City, AZ.

Van was in Arizona with third wife and long time partner, Sharon, when he died February 24, 2012 in Odyssey Hospice, Sun City, Arizona, of respiratory failure.