Irene Hansen

IRENE MAYME HANSEN was born to Chris and Elsie (Somerlade) Jensen on April 6, 1930 on a farm in Shaokatan Township, Lincoln County, Minnesota. As a small child, she moved with her family to Edgerton, Minnesota where she attended school. After she graduated from the Edgerton High School in 1949, she worked as a domestic homemaker for families in the Edgerton area. On September 16, 1950, she was united in marriage to James Hansen in Pipestone, Minnesota. Following their marriage, she worked as a cashier at Fred Dahl’s grocery store. In 1953, she became employed as a waitress at Spudnut. She then began working in retail sales at the S & L Department Store. She continued working there until her retirement in 1965. After she retired, she kept herself busy helping her brother-in-law, Dennis Hansen, at the Nicollet Press until this business closed. Her husband preceded her in death on November 12, 1980. Following his death, she continued to reside in Pipestone. In 2001, Irene moved to Fergus Falls, Minnesota to live with her daughter, Karen. On February 28, 2008, she became a resident at the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone where she died on Tuesday, March 27, 2012, at the age of 81 years, 11 months and 21 days.

Irene was a member of First Lutheran Church in Pipestone where she was baptized in 1950 and confirmed in 1953. She was active in the church circle and the church prayer group and she sang in the church choir. Her children remember that in their home she always had her Bible within easy reach. She was also a member of the Michael Boock American Legion Post 6 Auxiliary. Irene was an avid reader and enjoyed sewing and doing crafts.

Irene is lovingly remembered by her three children, Daniel Hansen of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Kathy Kooiman of Pipestone, Minnesota, and Karen and her husband Larry Schwarz of Fergus Falls, Minnesota; two grandchildren, Jason and his wife Karen Schwarz and Tyler Schwarz; and two great-grandchildren, Kimberlyn and Brooklyn Schwarz; six sisters, Donna, Mrs. Norman VanderPoel, of Fresno, California, Bernadine, Mrs. Louis Zambard of Puyallupi, Washington, Darlene, Mrs. Maynard “Bud” Winsel of Woodstock, Minnesota, Shirley Flaherty of Peoria, Arizona, Charlotte Dingman of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Sharon Biever, of Windom, Minnesota and all nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; and her sister, Emma Jean Casjen.