Jean Hanson

JEAN PHYLLIS (NELSON) HANSON was born to Edward William and Christina Frederika (Matthiesen) Nelson in Ayr, North Dakota on October 5, 1918. She attended Erie High School graduating in 1934. She furthered her education at Bemidji State Teachers College and Valley City Teachers College in North Dakota. After obtaining her teaching license she taught in Armenia and Absaraka, North Dakota. Jean accepted a teaching position with the Hills Public School in 1940 where she taught for the majority of her career, taking time off as needed for raising her children. She lived in Hills until 1998 when she moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Jean was united in marriage to Roy Victor Hanson on March 11, 1944 at the Wee Kirk O’ the Heather Church in Glendale, California. The couple made their first home in Chula Vista, California and returned to Hills, Minnesota in 1945. In 2009 she moved to the Episcopal Church Home in St. Paul, Minnesota, where on Thursday, November 6, 2014 she died peacefully at the age of 96 years, one month and one day.

Jean was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills and belonged to the Bethlehem Ladies Aid, the church choir and circle. Jean was also a member of the Hills American Legion Auxiliary, was an enthusiastic bridge player well into her 90’s, and was an avid Twins fan. In her retirement, Jean excelled at rosemaling, sharing her works with family and friends.

Jean will be lovingly remembered by her children, Robert and his wife Linda Hanson of Highland Park, Illinois and Mary and her husband Steven York of Minneapolis, Minnesota; five grandchildren, Jessica Swanson, Jonathan York, Alicia Landes, Katherine Duffy, and Britt Nega; and 9 great-grandchildren, Alexandra, Clarissa, and Andrew Swanson, William and Keira Duffy, Fidelis York, Aiden and Brody Landes, and Graden and Amelia Nega; a brother, Gary Nelson and his wife Doreen of Casselton, North Dakota; and a brother-in-law, Erling Linde of Moorhead, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Hanson; her parents, Edward and Christina Frederika Nelson; sisters, Joyce DeCesare and Janice Linde; brother, William Nelson; and her daughter, Lorna Hanson.

Jean loved life and was never happier than when her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were around. Her great-grandchildren loved her, visited her and wrote letters regularly. She played “Go Fish” and had ice cream with them right to the end. Her grandchildren visited her from near and far. Her nieces and nephews saw her often. Everyone who met Jean loved the woman who never complained, made them feel special and who couldn’t stand to miss out on good conversation or a chance to do something fun. She was an angel!!