Obituary of Eldora Lorna Hansen

HANSEN ELDORA L

Eldora Lorna Hansen, age 99 ½, passed away Thursday, February 06, 2025 at the Good Samaritan Society, Scotland, SD.  Funeral services will be 10:30 am, Saturday, February 15, 2025 at Salem Free Lutheran Church, rural Freeman, SD with Rev. Michael Hecht, officiating.  The burial will be in the Salem Community Cemetery, Freeman, SD.  Visitations will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  The Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Menno, SD has been trusted with the service details.  Online condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.  To view the livestream of Eldora’s service, click this link: https://server.attend.live/static/event/qx2Jr.  Pallbearers: Seth Friesen, Reis Kirschenman, Tyler Kirschenman, Jase Kirschenman, Aidan Friesen and Ryles Kirschenman.

Eldora was born on June 30, 1925 to Fred and Anna (Dubs) Huber.   She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church at Heilbron and attended church throughout their marriage of 60 years at Salem American Lutheran Church, rural Freeman and after retirement attended Calvary Baptist in Yankton.  She graduated from Freeman High School in 1944 and since there were no buses at that time, she stayed with her brother and sister-in-law, Alvin and Ludigard Huber in Freeman.

She married the love of her life, Ronald Hansen, on August 6, 1944 at the Marion parsonage. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and farmed for 42 years 8 miles southeast of Freeman. They retired from farming in 1986 and then moved to their home in Yankton. She kept very busy cleaning homes and often loading up her own Rainbow and Kirby vacuum until she was 84 years old.  Most often she would go to Calvary Baptist Church and clean in their kitchen also. She retired then due to health issues.  Later she became a resident of the Salem Mennonite home in Freeman, South Dakota for 5.5 years. and then went to Good Samaritan Scotland Nursing Home until current of 3 years.  Mom never wasted any time, was always busy, having a sizable garden and milking the cows along with other chores.  She did lots of canning, making soap and cooking was her forte. She was always a very generous person, always helping others. The dementia overtook her memory but not her love for the Lord. She would often recite Bible verses and talk about her going on to heaven. Those who cherish her memories are three daughters; Cindy (Bruce) Weimar of Huntersville, NC, Connie (Larry) Kirschenman of Menno, SD and Carol (Tom) Putnam of Belgrade, MT, 10 Grandchildren, including David who they raised, 25 great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren and one sister Hilda Werning. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, and one son, James.  Also preceded in death by four brothers, Alvin, Edmund, Bert and Walter and their spouses.