Pauline Altha Burkhart Hansen 1910 - 1954

BURKHART, HANSEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/19/2021 at 00:22:24

Sioux City Journal
16 July 1954

FARM WOMAN, 43, TAKES OWN LIFE

Mrs. Russell Hansen, Holly Spring, Dies by Hanging

Mrs. Russell Hansen, 43. committed suicide by hanging in a machine shed Thursday at her farm home about a mile north of Holly Springs. Dr. Thomas L. Coriden, Woodbury county coroner, said.

Investigating officers stated that her husband, Russell, had left her about six weeks ago and had been residing in Sioux City since. He told them he had not seen his wife for "about two weeks”.

Mrs. Hansen had threatened to commit suicide on at least three previous occasions during the last two or three weeks because of family trouble, officials said.

Her. husband has been residing at 118 Rustin street in Sioux City and has been employed as a trucker since leaving the farm. The coroner stated that Mr. Hanson had hired other persons do the farm work.

The body of Mrs. Hansen was found Thursday morning hanging from a rafter in the machine about 25 yards from the farmhouse by Roberta, a 19-year-old daughter, who noticed that her mother was not in the house when she awakened. They had been sleeping in the same room.

According to the coroner, Mrs. Hansen placed a three-quarter-inch rope around her neck and stepped off a tractor oil pail. Mrs. Hansen had said Sunday she was going to commit suicide when several members of the family were attending a reunion, but no one seemed to take her seriously, the coroner stated.

Deputy Sheriff Gerald W. Kammerer and Dr. Coriden made an investigation. They stated that Hansen admitted he had not seen his wife for about two weeks.

Mrs. Hansen was born December 10, 1910, in Woodbury county.

Survivors besides the widower and the daughter Roberta are a son, Danny, 6; her mother, Mrs. Louise Burkhart of Hornick; a brother, Frank of Rodney, Ia., and a sister, Mrs. Luritz Hansen of Holly Springs.

The body was taken to the Willman funeral home at Rodney.

Sioux City Journal
17 July 1954

Mrs. Russell Hansen

Funeral services for Mrs. Russell Hansen, 43, whose body was found Thursday hanging in a machine shed on her farm home about a mile north of Holly Springs, will be at 2 p. m. today at the Christian church at Holly Springs.

Burial will be in the Holly Springs cemetery under direction of the Willman funeral home of Rodney.

Dr. Thomas L. Coriden, Woodbury county coroner, ruled the death suicide.