Lavonne Esther Hansen

Lavonne Esther Hansen, 94, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, passed away Thursday, November 7, 2024, at Accura Healthcare in Spirit Lake. A service to celebrate Lavonne’s life will be held at 3:00pm on Monday, November 11, 2024, at the Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Visitation for Lavonne will begin one hour prior to the service. A private family graveside service will be held at Lakeview Cemetery in Spirit Lake. 

Lavonne Esther (Hedges) Hansen was born May 27, 1930, in Ocheyedan, Iowa, the daughter of Harold Paul and Thora May (Tritle) Hedges. As a young girl her family moved around the Northwest Iowa area. While living in Spirit Lake she met her husband Robert Lee “Archie” Hansen. They were united in marriage on October 28, 1946, in Jackson, Minnesota. The couple made their home on the family farm in rural Spirit Lake. To this union they were blessed with three sons, Kenneth, Darrell and David. Her husband Robert “Archie” passed away on February 26, 1997. 

Lavonne began her working career in 1958 at Berkley and Company after her children were all in school. She enjoyed working there for many years until her retirement in 1991. In her free time, she enjoyed reading books, volunteering at the hospital, attending her Friendship Club meetings and her annual fishing trips to Big Pine Lake in Perham, Minnesota and traveling with family and friends. She was a life member of the women’s VFW Auxiliary. 

Lavonne is survived by her three sons: Kenneth and his wife, Leigh of Los Angeles, California; Darrell of Spirit Lake; David and his wife, Cindy of Spirit Lake; nine grandchildren: Ronnie Hansen and his wife, Dora of Royal, Iowa, Melanie Hoque and her husband Titon of Elgin, Texas, Joshua Hansen and his wife, Lawanda of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Matthew Hansen and his wife, Amy of Elgin, Texas, Shari Hansen of Spirit Lake, Iowa, Michael Hansen and his wife, Tiffany currently serving in the Air Force at RAF Mildenhall in England, Kathryn Milbrandt and her husband, Ryan of Ham Lake, Minnesota, Colin Hansen and Fiona Hansen of Los Angeles, California; fourteen great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Lou (Harold) Youngdahl of Milford, Iowa and Joyce (Erv) Krull of Spirit Lake, Iowa and several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband Robert Lee “Archie” Hansen, her parents Harold Paul and Thora May (Tritle) Hedges, brother Lawrence Hedges, sister Mavis Bahde, two sisters-in-law, Pearl (Hansen) Manguson and Marilyn Hedges, brother-in-law Verle Bahde and nephew Steven Manguson.