Mildred Hansen, 84
Mildred Hansen, 84, of Blooming Prairie, Minn. died on Oct. 10, 2008, at her home in Blooming Prairie.
Mildred “Millie” Hansen was born to Axel and Ruth (Peterson) Hammar in the Herald mining location five miles from Hibbing, Minn. on March 23, 1922. She died at her home Oct. 10, 2008 of a brain tumor. Mildred attended grade school in Carson, Minn., moving to Hibbing when she was 16 and graduated from Hibbing High School in 1940, Hibbing Junior College in 1942 and earned a BA degree in Home Economics from St. Olaf College in 1944. Her first teaching job was at Blooming Prairie High School, where she taught home economics and junior high school science. She met her future husband, Bud, during the three years she taught in Blooming Prairie. She taught Home Economics for one year in Canton before marrying Bud and moving back to Blooming Prairie. Bud and Millie lived on a chicken farm outside of Blooming Prairie, then moved into town and started a farm store and egg trucking business. Later they started Hansen Real Estate.
Millie was very active in First Baptist Church of Blooming Prairie, belonging to the Ladies Aid, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School and release time classes and was the producer of the Children’s Christmas pageant for many years. She was a lifetime volunteer at Prairie Manor Nursing Home and Heather Haus, and she was active in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Her volunteer work touched many lives; she sent hundreds of cards each year to Prairie Manor residents, fellow church members and friends. She enjoyed singing and took her whole family to Prairie Manor and Heather Haus every Christmas to sing Christmas carols for the residents. While her children were in school she was active in Music Mothers, Booster Club, and Extension Club and could be seen in the stands at all her children’s games and concerts. She also attended and enjoyed many of her grandchildren’s events. She and Bud were at so many games they were named fans of the year on a couple of occasions. She enjoyed baking and sewing, making baby quilts for her grandchildren to give to her future great grandchildren. Millie always baked birthday cookies for her children and grandchildren, son-in-law, Ed Ainsworth of Ithaca, N.Y. and Audrey Hammar of Hibbing. .
Mildred married Harold “Bud” Hansen on July 3, 1948 in Hibbing and they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this summer. They have seven children, George of Sanborn, Greg, now deceased, David (Terri) of Roseville, Harlan (Rae Jean) of Blooming Prairie, Harold (Jennifer) of Owatonna, Heidi (Marvin) Thompson of Blooming Prairie, Dale of Blooming Prairie; seven grandsons; seven granddaughters and two great-grandsons.
She was preceded in death by one son Greg; sisters, Beth Ainsworth and Charlotte Gastiger and brother George Hammar.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008, at the First Baptist Church in Blooming Prairie, with the Reverend Matthew Fennell, officiating. Interment will be held at the Danish Baptist Cemetery, rural Blooming Prairie. Visitation will be held from 4:30 – 8 p.m., Tuesday, October 14, at the Worlein – Blooming Prairie Funeral Home in Blooming Prairie. The family prefers memorials.