Ruth L. (Ekstrom) Hanson (1921-2018)

HANSON, EKSTROM, BERGSTROM, MAAS, FREY, VAN ALLEN, SMITH, MOSHER

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:13

From Rasmusson-Bacon Funeral Home & Crematory obituary, Nevada and Maxwell, Story County, Iowa:

Ruth L. Hanson, 97, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2018, at Story County Senior Care. Services will be Saturday, June 16, at the First United Methodist Church in Nevada, Iowa. Visitation is from 12-2 with the service at 2, followed by a fellowship reception.

Ruth was born February 13, 1921, to Robert and Anna (Bergstrom) Ekstrom in Boone County, Nebraska. She was baptized and confirmed in Salem Lutheran Church, rural Newman Grove, Nebraska. She attended Leader School District 20 and graduated from Newman Grove High School and. received her teaching certificate from Wayne State College.

On December 28, 1941, Ruth married Dale H. Hanson at Shell Creek Lutheran Church. He passed away in 1975. Two daughters, Mary Louise Maas and Laura Lee Van Allen, were born to this union.

Ruth taught rural schools in Madison and Platte Counties for 7 years. She began playing the piano at age 7, playing chords while her father tuned his violin. Her mother died when Ruth was 15 and enduring the depression she helped raise her siblings. Music was always her passion and she was active with church music, lady’s organizations, and directed church choirs in Newman Grove and Columbus, Nebraska. She retired from BD Pharmaceuticals in 1978. Ruth traveled extensively, visiting many National Parks, Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, and the World’s Fair in Vancouver. She moved from Garrison, Nebraska to Nevada, Iowa in 2007 to be near family. She is currently a member of the First United Methodist Church in Nevada. She lived eleven years at The Meadows and was active at the Nevada Senior Center. Besides playing the piano and organizing sing-a-longs she enjoyed crossword puzzles and all kinds of games and was an avid sports fan.

Survivors are: Daughter Mary (Robert) Maas of Lakeland FL, grandson David (Anne) Frey, great-grandsons Xander and Maximus, of Parker, CO, and grandson Douglas Frey, great grandson Joseph of FL; also, daughter Laura (Dennis) Van Allen, of Nevada IA, grandson Richard (Diana) Van Allen of Maumelle, AR, great-grandchildren Ross of Iowa City and Brooke of Nevada (great-great grandson Adrian), and grandson Anthony (Clarissa) Van Allen, great-grandchildren Macen and Dane, all of Nevada, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sisters Jeanne Smith, Lois Mosher, infant sister Dorothy, brother Robert, and long-time companion, John Daro of Garrison, NE.

Rasmusson-Bacon Funeral Home in Nevada is handling arrangements.

http://www.rasmussonfh.com/
 

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