Lavonne C. Hansen

LAVONNE CLARICE HANSEN was born June 10, 1923 to John and Clara (Clasen) Wacker on a farm southwest of Rock Rapids, in Lyon County Iowa. She was baptized and later confirmed at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Rapids. Her family moved to Minnesota in 1931 and Lavonne attended County School District 24 then two years of high school in Rock Rapids and her last two years at Luverne High School in Luverne, Minnesota graduating in the class of 1941. She went on to attend the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa graduating in 1944 as a registered nurse. She began her nursing career at the Vander Wilt Hospital in Rock Rapids. On January 26, 1945 Lavonne was united in marriage to W. Ray Hansen at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Rapids. The couple first lived on Ray’s parents’ farm before moving three miles north to Lavonne’s parents’ farm in Kanaranzi Township, Rock County, Minnesota in 1951. There they farmed and raised their four children. After taking a few years off Lavonne returned to her nursing career in Rock Rapids and later began working at the Luverne Community Hospital where she worked from 1972 until her retirement in 1992. She and Ray continued living on the farm working as stewards to the land and enjoyed watching their family grow. Ray died in October of 2008 and Lavonne continued living on the farm. On Monday, December 28, 2020 Lavonne died peacefully at the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home at the age of 97 years, six months and 18 days.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne and a member of the Rebekah Circle. Lavonne enjoyed sewing and gardening. She was also a member of the Luverne Lions Club.

Lavonne will be lovingly remembered by her four children, Karen Hansen of Ames, Iowa, Eileen and her husband, Alon Hemme of Hardwick, Minnesota, Rhonda and her husband, Paul Jorgensen of Winner, South Dakota, and William and his wife, Nancy Hansen of New Brighton, Minnesota; six grandchildren, Erin (Dean) Froslie, Kyle (Mica) Hemme, Ryan Hemme, Lonnie Jorgensen, Kendra (Kris) Jorgenson, and Heather (Doran) Hamburger; and 18 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, W. Ray; and an infant son, Robert Ray; and parents, John and Clara Wacker.