Betty Mae Hansen, 91, Long Prairie

October 28, 1928 - December 5, 2019

Funeral Services will be at 11:00 AM on Thursday, December 12, 2019 at American Lutheran Church in Long Prairie, MN for Betty Hansen who passed away Thursday, December 5, 2019 at the Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. The Rev. Bill Bakewicz will officiate and burial will be at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Visitation will be from 6-8 PM on Wednesday, December 11, 2019 at Williams Dingmann Stein Chapel in Long Prairie. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the funeral on Thursday at the church.

Betty was born in Westport on October 28, 1928 to Harry and Velma (Schulz) Gilbert. She graduated from Villard High School. After graduation, she ventured to Minneapolis to attend business school. At school, Betty was intrigued by the handsome man with the delicious smelling sandwiches. Betty married Doug Hansen on April 2, 1949. They had 2 daughters, Barb and Nancy. They lived most of their married life in Edina and Long Prairie. Betty was very active in American Lutheran Church especially the women’s ministry. For the last 20 years, on Monday mornings, Betty prayed with friends for people in her church and community. About 40 years ago, Betty started hosting and leading an ecumenical Bible study. She cherished the relationships she developed with these ladies. The family is honored that the Bible study ladies will be pallbearers at her funeral. After retirement, Doug and Betty spent many years wintering in Port Aransas Texas. Betty was a bird watcher and had identified 417 birds. Betty enjoyed spending time with her family on vacation. There were annual weeks at a lake resort and spring jaunts to Costa Rica, Mexico and Tucson.

Betty is survived by her daughters Barbara (Rolf) Schulz of Apple Valley and Nancy (Fred) Sunder of Bloomington; her sister Blanche “Muggs”(Robert) Brown of Lake City; four grandchildren, Eric (Amy) Schulz, Amy Mae Schulz, Carrie (Jason) Erickson, and Marne (Tyson) Donnelly and six greatgrandchildren, Cameron, Kendall, Brayden, Mikko, Jacob, and Blake.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband and her brother Harold Gilbert.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to American Lutheran Church are preferred.