Ollie Hanson

Grand Island, NE – Ollie R. Hanson, age 90 of Grand Island, formerly of Scotia died Tuesday September 30, 2014 at the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island. Funeral services will be held on Friday October 3, 2014 at 2:00 PM at the Oconto Community Building in Oconto with Rev. Scott Hausrath officiating. There will also be funeral rites by the Eastern Star. Burial will be in the Oconto Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM at Govier Bros. Mortuary in Broken Bow. Ollie was born August 24, 1924, at the family home in Litchfield to Niels Hans and Emma Marie (Olsen) Nielsen. She was the sixth born of seven children, Orville, Harold, Clara, Anna, Dorothy and Lillian. She attended Litchfield Public graduating in 1942. Ollie taught in rural schools near Wood River and Oconto. It was at the mailbox at the Tuckerville School she met the love of her life, Harley Richard “Dick” Hanson, the local rural mailman. They were married July 10, 1949, at Ollie’s parent’s home in Litchfield. They were married for 63 years until Dick’s death separated them. Dick and Ollie had four children: twins Judy and Jane, Richard and Harley. Ollie loved her life as a partner with Dick raising their children, farming, gardening, canning and tearing down buildings to reuse materials to build homes and farm buildings. The family enjoyed taking summer vacations every year traveling to most of the states and Canada. Ollie was active in the Oconto community as a member of the Garden Club, Eastern Star and the United Methodist Church. She continued working with children the den mother for Cub Scouts and teaching Sunday school and Bible School. Grandma Ollie was the favorite grandma always ready to participate in camping, crafts, fishing and cooking much to the kids delight. Ollie was known for shooting squirrels from her kitchen window while baking her famous cinnamon twist. Grandma taught all her grandchildren to pull weeds, fish, make cookies, play cards and care for animals both tame and wild. Her cellar was a treasure of canned food from the garden. She loved to share her recipes and published a cookbook, “50 Years of Cooking” in 1999. Ollie and Dick retired to Scotia and lived at their lake home on Duck Inn Lake. They enjoyed gardening, fishing and visiting with their children and grandchildren. They wintered at their cabin in Texas for many years. While in Texas they enjoyed square dancing and attending jamborees. Survivors include children and their families, Judy Domina of Elkhorn and her children Thurston and Emily Domina, Salesia Domina and Niels Domina; Richard and Susie Hanson of Scotia and their children Heather and Chad Slump, Ramsey and Laura Hanson, Brandon Hanson, Haley Hanson, Kerby Hanson and Keegan Hanson; Harley and Sue Hanson of Scotia and their children Paul and Sadie Hagemeier, Korie and Scott Beaty and Brody and Carrisa Hanson; Fifteen great grandchildren; sisters-in-law Laura and Doug Wilcox, Mildred and Ted Wilson, Margorie Hanson; a host of nieces and nephews; Caregiver friends Dorothy Gregg, Patti Walkup, Sue Walkup, Becky Rogers, Ashley Haglan, Katie Buck. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dick; parents, Niels and Emma; daughter, Jane; siblings, Orville Nielsen, Harold Nielsen, Clara Allen, Anna Omlstead, Dorothy Feldman and Liilian Kramer.