It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce that our TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Peoria owner Bob, passed away on January 6th, 2024. Bob has had a profound impact on everyone here at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Peoria and everyone in our community and surrounding areas. Bob and his wife Marg's core values standout in our lives and in our community. In a statement from Bob, he said, "he and his wife believe that treating your employees like family, helping others succeed, and giving back to the community are some of the most important values to have." Bob truly helped his employees succeed and gave our team the motivation every day to do better and be better. Bob will be truly missed.
Bob's impact hasn't gone unnoticed; he's donated thousands of dollars to central Illinois over the last 13 years and has helped numerous underprivileged men find a path to success. During his three-year battle with colon cancer, Bob remained extremely positive and focused on continuing to help as many people as possible despite being in extreme pain. He was working at his TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® office the week before he passed.
Christensen is well known for “Moving” people forward. He often hired people who are down on their luck and gave them a future they didn’t think they could achieve. Juan Gallegos is one of the first movers hired. He says, “Growing up, I never really had a father figure, or a true friend and you filled that void for me. Not a week goes by where I don’t think of you or mention the ways you have impacted my life. “Gallegos now owns his own TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® stores in El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico. One of Christensen’s long-time Peoria managers, Greg Micklos, now owns TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® in Pensacola, FL. Christensen also helped his son’s childhood friend, Jay Mellentine, become a franchisee. Mellentine owns seven TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® franchises in the U.S. Christensen’s daughter-in-Law, Jen Christensen, just opened a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® in Cookeville, TN in 2023. You might remember Jen from her former career as a TV anchor in central Illinois from 2004-2011.
Bob Christensen not only helped people become owners, but he also gave people the opportunity to make a good living and contribute to society. Peoria Driver Dubrick Tucker says, “He gave me an opportunity when no one else did, even when I made stupid mistakes. He always saw the good in me.” “Brick” has been a driver with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK for 12 years.
Bob Christensen also actively recruited veterans to work at his three locations. The U.S. Army veteran served from 1969-1971. He had orders to go to Vietnam, but was sidelined at a base in Tacoma, WA. He inspected mess halls and took steps to prevent food-borne illnesses and mosquito-borne diseases. He has hired more than 15 veterans to work at his stores throughout the years.
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Peoria donates to the local community each year through its Mover for Moms and Movers for Mutts campaigns. Single women in need of clothing, food, and baby supplies benefit from the campaign as well as animals without homes at local shelters. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK gathers items from community members and donates them to Dream Center Peoria, Center for Prevention of Abuse, TAPS No-Kill Animal Shelter, SAMS Rescue, OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois, Peoria Area Food Bank, United Way, Sun Foundation Salvation Army, and Dunlap Athletics.
You will also see TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® employees donating their time to events like the Santa Clause Parade, the Morton Pumpkin Festival and Peoria Heights Kringle Market.
Bob Christensen said on many occasions, “I get the pleasure of seeing my employees grow and succeed and I want them to know I care about them.” Bob also owned the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® in Rockford, IL and Davenport, IA. He created the same opportunity for people in those areas. When you see TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® drive by, please give two short honks in support of Bob. The company will continue to honor Bob’s legacy with the support of his wife, Marg Christensen, and their two sons, Kevin and Cory.
Funeral arrangements and Bob's obituary can be found at: https://www.burketubbs.com/obituaries/Robert-Christensen?obId=30278807&fbclid=IwAR0bU-ZxUeeUB-SwRJB1TPR_7IMiqBi23IWXdiZFxWPBM_76rPT-7SaLgJU
Articles about Bob:
Two Men and a Truck owner Bob Christensen dies over the weekend (centralillinoisproud.com)
Peoria business owner passes away (25newsnow.com)
For more information, Contact Marketing Coordinator Angelica Post at 309-339-2988 or email at angelica.post@twomen.com
