Christine M. (Meis) McAuliffe

Christine Marie (Meis) McAuliffe, 50, formerly of Minden, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at her home in Tempe, AZ. Funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Minden with Fr. Evan Winter officiating. Interment will be held later that day at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Jamestown, KS. Visitation with the family present will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Monday, June 23, 2025 at the church with Rosary at 6:00 p.m. Memorials in Christine’s honor are kindly suggested to Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church in Minden or to the family for future donation to addiction recovery programs. Arrangements are under the care of Craig Funeral Home in Minden. Christine was born on March 8, 1975 in Hays, KS to Fred Meis and Jean (Herbin) Meis. She grew up in Hays where she attended Saint Joseph’s Elementary School and Thomas More Prep-Marian High School. Throughout her high-school years, Christine successfully competed as a member of the debate, forensic, and scholar’s bowl teams, served as a school ambassador, sang and played her guitar in the folk chorus, and participated in the high-school’s musicals. She graduated with honors in 1993. After high school, Christine attended Creighton University on scholarship where she later graduated with a dual-major bachelor’s degree in Biology and German in 1997. The highlight of her undergraduate college education was working as a research assistant to her biology professors. Her post-graduate years were spent studying law at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University where she earned her Juris Doctor degree with honors and a specialization in Intellectual Property Law. Christine was admitted to the Arizona Bar in 2001 and was registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. She then entered the work force where she soon made partner and practiced for a number of well-known law firms in the Phoenix area. As a life-long lover of learning, Christine then chose to continue her law education by earning her Master of Laws degree through the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in 2007. Christine made her home in Tempe, AZ where she was united in marriage to Philip McAuliffe, and to this union four children were born: Stephen, Nicholas, Anne, and Grace. They later divorced, and in 2012, Christine and Tad Plantz had a daughter, Ava. The families lived for a number of years in the Tempe, AZ area. In 2017, Christine moved to Minden, NE where she was active in Saint John the Baptist Parish as a lector, musician/vocalist, and catechist. In her free time, Christine enjoyed playing golf, tennis, gardening, and writing music. She was also an avid game and card player. Always looking for new opportunities to further her learning, Christine obtained several health care certifications in recent years. She then worked in health care, choosing long-term care as she especially loved geriatrics. Those left to cherish her memories include her children, now of Hilliard, OH and Chandler, AZ; parents Jean and Fred Meis of Minden, NE; brother Fred Meis (Kristin) of Wahoo, NE; brother James Meis (Caprice) of Kearney, NE; and sister Stephanie Gillen (Brian) of Elizabeth, CO as well as a great number of aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by both her maternal and paternal grandparents and aunts/uncles. Tributes and memories can be shared with the family at www.craigfunerals.com.

Christine M. (Meis) McAuliffe

March 8, 1975 - June 11, 2025