Elsie M. Hanson

SIOUX CITY | Elsie Hanson, 99, formerly of Sioux City, died peacefully at home in Buffalo Grove, Illinois on December 29, 2014. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel with the Rev. Dan Doran officiating. Private interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday with the family present from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Condolences may be sent online at www.meyerbroschapels.com. Elsie Marie Gustafson was born December 4, 1915 in Onawa, Iowa to Swedish immigrant parents, Aleck and Augusta (Malm) Gustafson. She attended country school near her family farm home at Whiting. She graduated from Whiting High School in 1933 and then graduated from the National Business Training School in Sioux City. She worked as a bookkeeper for several businesses in Sioux City, the last company being Albertsons (later Sioux Tools) until she was married. She was united in marriage to David Hanson on February 17, 1947 at her parent's home in Whiting. She and David settled on a farm near Moville where they farmed until 1955. During their years in Moville, their two daughters, Julie and Dorine, were born. The family moved to their farm near Hinton in March 1955. David and Elsie lived there until they retired from farming and moved to Sioux City in 1975. In 1965 Elsie went back to doing office work for the building manager of several office buildings in downtown Sioux City. While working in the Commerce Building, she met many new friends. She was a member of ABWA (American Business Women's Association) and was chosen as ABWA Woman of the Year in 1988. Elsie and David were actively involved in the Vasa Swedish Lodge in Sioux City. Elsie served as chairman of the Sioux City Vasa for many years and worked to keep the group alive. She received a special Award of Merit for her work from the Swedish Council of America during a ceremony in Minneapolis in 2007. She was very proud of her Swedish heritage and until her later years still spoke the Swedish language well. She was a member of First Covenant Church for over 50 years. Elsie did volunteer bookkeeping work for many years at the A.I.D. Center of Siouxland, and also for the senior services office at St. Luke'As Hospital. She and friends did volunteer work helping with mailings for different agencies in Sioux City. David passed away in February 1989. With Elsie's positive attitude, she moved ahead on her own, with help from her wonderful neighbors on Clark Street in Sioux City. Paul Nacke took Elsie out to parking lots to teach her to drive and Marlys Nacke would often visit with Elsie. Neighbor Randy Lilly helped Elsie with lawn mowing and snow shoveling when she could no longer do this on her own. Marilyn Noll kept a watchful eye on Elsie from across the street. Elsie and her best friend Vivian Kamm would go for walks every day - sometimes covering miles during their walks on the Northside of Sioux City. They shared many adventures together - including senior day trips and visits to the Senior Center when it was in downtown Sioux City. Elsie, Vivian and other friends looked forward to their occasional breakfasts out. Elsie was known for her love of pancakes. Elsie lived in her home in Sioux City until the Summer of 2007. At that time she moved to Arizona to live with her daughter Julie's family for a year. In September 2008, she then moved to Illinois to live in Buffalo Grove near her daughter Dorine. Dorine's life was enriched by being able to be with her Mother every day. While in Illinois, for over six years, Elsie was cared for by Krystyna Harmasinska. The family will be forever grateful to Krystyna for all she did for Elsie. Elsie is survived by her daughters, Julie (Rick) Heumann of Chandler, Arizona and Dorine (Sy) Levine of Long Grove, Illinois, granddaughter Kristin Heumann of Grand Junction, Colorado, good friend Vivian Kamm of Sioux City, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Aleck and Augusta Gustafson, husband David, sister Margaret Collison Oliver, and brother Edwin Gustafson. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to: The Gospel Mission Women's Shelter, PO Box 3745, SC, IA 51102 or The Siouxland Center for Active Generations, 313 Cook St, SC, IA 51103. Elsie was a sweet, kind, gentle lady who especially loved children, and had a positive outlook on life. She will be remembered by many for her wonderful smile and will be deeply missed by everyone who shared her life.