Jenny Hansen

Jenny P. Hansen, age 94 of Elbow Lake, passed away Saturday, January 30, 2016 at the Barrett Care Center. Jenny Pauline Velsvaag was born January 28, 1922 in Walden Township, Pine River, MN to John & Olga Velsvaag. She was baptized April 9, 1922 and confirmed her faith in Our Lord and Savior, August 29, 1937 at the Norwegian Lutheran Church, "Maple Hill", Pine River. Accepting Jesus as her personal Savior, she took a vow to renounce the devil, the world and her own flesh. In 1926, she and her family moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin, where her father worked as a carpenter. In 1930, she and her family moved back to the 160-acre farm at Pine River. Jenny attended the "Minnie" rural school for grades 3-8 then at Pine River High School, graduating in 1940. After graduating from high school she attended one year of Teachers Normal Training at Pine River, qualifying her to teach in rural schools. In 1941-1942 she taught at the Harriet School, Longville, MN, grades 1-8, 27 pupils with an annual salary of $600. In 1943 Jenny accepted a teaching position at the Maple Hill Rural School in Pine River comprised of all eight grades and twenty-eight pupils. In 1944 Jenny attended and received a diploma from the Electronics Institute in Minneapolis. She was slated to work for United Airlines until a military officer visited the school and asked the students to go into communication as teletype operators. New operators were needed to replace military personnel in the United States who had been assigned to replace overseas operators that had been killed in the line-of-duty during World War II. Jenny agreed and moved to Omaha, Nebraska. She was assigned to the Headquarters for Atlantic Overseas Air Service Command at Newark, New Jersey. When the war ended in 1945, Jenny returned to Pine River then moved to Bemidji to earn a two-year degree at Bemidji State College. She then became a substitute teacher for first grade at Cromwell, MN, after which she taught third grade at Northern School, District 26 in Bemidji. Jenny attended the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis between 1948 and 1949, and then resumed teaching in public schools. While teaching, Jenny took in-service classes, off-campus courses and correspondence courses offered after school hours, as well as summer school classes to earn her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from Bemidji State University. She graduated with honors. Jenny Taught at Twin valley, Warroad, and fourth grade in Morris. While teaching in Morris, Irene invited Jenny to spend a weekend at the Hansen farm. That soon ended her teaching years because she met Thor. On December 23, 1970, Jenny married Henry Thorwald Hansen. Thor was farming at the time but later sold and appraised real estate. Even when retired, Thor continued to appraise real estate. After leaving the farm place, Jenny and Thor moved to Maplewood Manor in Elbow Lake. They had no children. Jenny was active in the various churches in which she had membership, was a Vacation Bible School Teacher and superintendent and a member of the organizations within the church and the community. Other worthwhile causes that captivated her interest were Auxiliary of the Gideons International, The Grant County American Cancer Society, Grant County Food Shelf and the Salvation Army of Fergus Falls. Jenny is survived by one brother, Herman (Delores) Velsvaag; three nephews and four nieces; sisters-in-law, Irene Hansen and June Velsvaag. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Thor; one brother that died in infancy, Herman Oliver; a brother John Velsvaag, Jr., and one sister that was stillborn. Funeral Services for Jenny will be at 11AM Saturday, February 6, 2016 at Grace Evangelical Free Church, Elbow Lake with Reverend Gabriel Norton officiating. Visitation from 5PM – 7PM Friday, February 5 at Erickson-Smith Funeral Home in Elbow Lake and resuming one hour prior to the service at the church.

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Funeral Home: Erickson-Smith Funeral Home - Elbow Lake 116 1st Street NE Elbow Lake, MN US 56531

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Previous Events

Visitation
Friday, February 5, 2016
Service
Saturday, February 6, 2016

Cemetery Details

Location