Elpha June (Carter) HANSON

CARTER, NELSEN, HANSON, BLEAKLY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/6/2007 at 11:48:52

Elpha June Hanson
June 19, 1920-October 26, 2006

DOWS—Elpha June Hanson, 86, a longtime resident of Dows, passed away on Thursday, October 26, 2006, at the Mercy Medical Center of North Iowa in Mason City. A private memorial service was held on Sunday, November 5. The Ewing Dugger Helgeson Funeral Home of Dows was in charge of the arrangements.

Elpha June, the daughter of Louis Earl and Cora (Nelsen) Carter, was born on June 19, 1920 near Goldfield, in Wright County. As an infant June moved with her family to Morgan Township, where she attended the Morgan Township No. 6 Country School. June graduated from the Dows High School with the class of 1936. She attended Iowa State Teacher’s College in Cedar Falls where she received her certificate for elementary education. June’s first teaching position was in Moorhead. It was in Moorhead that June met her future husband, Elmer Hanson. June continued teaching in Pocahontas, Clear Lake, Huxley and Des Moines. June received her B.A. degree from Drake University in 1970. She finished her teaching career in her hometown of Dows. On July 2, 1943, June was united in marriage to Warrant Officer Elmer Hanson in Tacoma, Washington. After Elmer’s discharge from the armed forces, the couple made their home in Monona County, where they farmed. During this time their son, John Carter was born. In 1949, the family moved to Wright County near Dows, where they continued to farm. In 1954, June and Elmer built a house in Dows and moved to town. June was an avid reader, and enjoyed antiques, cooking, sewing, crafts and visiting friends, neighbors and family. After Elmer’s retirement, the couple spent 16 winters in the Rio Grand Valley, Texas. They also enjoyed many camping trips to visit their son and many friends across the U.S. northwest. The first week of June was spent in Minnesota, fishing at the Kilworry Resort on Lake White Fish in Minnesota. In their younger days, Elmer and June danced many a night away. Home and family were June’s dearest treasures. After Elmer’s death in 1997, June continued to travel, including two extended trips to Spain, to spend time with her son and grandson. June was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Dows since 1943, where she served in many different facets, Sunday school Teacher and Superintendent, Elder, Presbyterian Women’s Moderator, and Clerk of Session. The church and June’s great faith were her rock. June’s civic activities were numerous and varied while living in Dows. She served on the Dows Library Board and Swimming Pool Board, she was a member of the Historical Society, Trees Forever, Order of the Eastern Star, American Legion Auxiliary, Liberty Club and Harmony Club. June was always interested in helping causes that benefited children. In Texas Elmer and June were involved with an orphanage in the Valley. She was a den mother in both Girl and Boy Scouts in Dows. June was also very involved with Recovery Inc., serving as a group leader locally for 38 years, and as an Iowa area leader for eight years.

Left to cherish June’s memory are her son, John and wife, Nilda of Cuba; a grandson, Nicholas; a step-grandson, Blake; two step-great-grandchildren, Isabella and Sophia, all of British Columbia, Canada; two nieces, Maggie Bleakly of Dows and Cathy Bleakly of Centreville, Virginia; nephew Doug Bleakly of Walnut Creek, California; Maggie’s son Sean, now living in Laramie, Wyoming and Doug’s daughter, Teresa of Seattle, Washington. Also very important in June’s life were Borge and Lucille Andersen and their daughters, Jean Swanson and Bev Lange, all of Dows and their families; besides so many wonderful friends and extended family. June was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Elmer; and a sister, Barbara Elaine.

© Iowa Falls Times Citizen 2006
November 8, 2006