Joyce Hanson

A PUBLIC (WALK THROUGH) VISITATION WILL BE HELD FOLLOWING THE PRIVATE SERVICE ON SATURDAY FROM 1:00 P.M. UNTIL 3:00 P.M. AT THE CHURCH. MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.

Joyce Ellen Hanson died on April 25, 2021, at the Barrett Care Center in Barrett, Minnesota. Joyce was born on February 22, 1928, in Graceville, Minnesota, the second child of Charles and Ella (Brunkow) Simpson. She grew up on the family farm in Eldorado Township, graduating from Herman High School in 1945 after attending District 35 country school for the first eight grades, all with perfect attendance. Following her graduation she went on to Wheaton and Moorhead State Teachers Training. She then taught country school at District 68 in Stevens County for three years.

On June 14, 1949, Joyce married Neil Hanson at the United Methodist Church in Herman. Joyce and Neil made their home and farm east of Herman on the shores of Olsrud Lake for nearly sixty years before moving into Herman in 2009.

Joyce was a lifelong active member of the United Methodist Church. She was a Macsville Township election judge, a member of the Grant County Planning Commission, and a guest columnist for the Herman Review from 1991-2012, writing a column entitled “Nature Notes.” In 2013 she published a compilation of those columns and titled it Joyce’s Nature Notes. Joyce had an endless love of learning; she enjoyed reading, gardening, bird watching, travels with Neil, and playing whist, bridge, and word games. She was an avid sports fan, following the Gophers, Timberwolves, Lynx, Vikings, and her beloved Twins. Her interest in baseball began when she was nine years old. She would sit with her grandfather, Ferdinand Brunkow, and listen to the St. Louis Cardinal baseball games on WNAX radio out of Yankton, South Dakota. She remained a Cardinal fan until 1961 when the Twins moved to Minnesota. From that point on, she was a diehard Twins fan. Wanting to attend one last Twins game at the age of 91, she invited her family to be her guests at Target Field. There, she along with 15 family members, watched the Twins defeat the Oakland A’s, making the day one of her favorite memories.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Ella, her brother, Maurice, and her husband, Neil, on January 5, 2013. She is survived by her five children: Nan Hill, Herman; Linda (Guy) Kalland, Northfield; Ken (Tammy) Hanson, Herman; Glen (Beth) Hanson, Moorhead; and Greg (Lisa) Hanson, Cottage Grove; grandchildren: Amber Hill, Abby (Ryan) Kershaw, Shari Olson, Ashley Hill, Katie (Ryan) Smith, Isaac (Sonya) Hanson, Alex Hanson, Sam Hanson, Jason Thomas, Alec (Brittany) Thomas; great grandchildren: Aiden Olson, Jacob Olson, Grace Olson, Ella Thomas, Cade Kershaw, Fynn Olson, Piper Thomas, Jean Smith, and Harper Hanson; siblings: Mavis Blume, Lowell (Barbara) Simpson, and Cheryl (Bob) Retrum, in addition to many nieces and nephews.

A private funeral service will be held at the United Methodist Church in Herman, Minnesota, on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. Live streaming of the service will be available on Joyce’s obituary page at www.bainbridgefuneralhome.com.

Memorials are preferred to The Herman United Methodist Church and The Herman Foundation-Herman Community Center. The family wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Gallagher for his many years of care, to the staff at the Barrett Care Center for their kindness and love, and to Knute Nelson Hospice for their compassion and comfort.