Olive Hanson

Olive Ethelyn Hanson, 93, died peacefully on January 31, 2021 at the Moorings Health Center in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  Olive was born on March 25, 1927 in Hoffman, Minnesota.  Her parents were Oliver and Ethel (Ellingson) Hanson.  She grew up in Hoffman, attending District 01 through eighth grade.  She attended grades 9-12 at Hoffman, graduating in May 1944.

Olive attended the University of Minnesota, School of Nursing in Minneapolis, MN. and was part of the Cadet Nurses Corps.  She graduated with an R.N. in May 1948.  She also attended Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis 1951-1952, graduating from a 2-year Bible training course and a 1-year Mission training course.

Olive continued coursework towards a bachelor’s degree.  The various institutes she attended were: the University of Minnesota, College of Education, in Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, Morris, and Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, Illinois.

She was a Deaconess candidate at Christian Service Institute, Lutheran Seminary in St. Paul, MN, in 1956.  She was inducted on August 5, 1956.

While living in Minneapolis, Olive worked as a nurse at the General Hospital and Sister Kenny Institute, as a school nurse at the Lutheran Bible Institute, and at the Lutheran Girls Home (Lutheran Welfare Soc.) She also was Parish Deaconess Visitor for Bethel Evangelical Church, and Field Secretary for International Lutheran Nurses Guild.

In 1963, Olive moved to Park Ridge, Illinois.  She worked as a Residence Director at the Lutheran General and Deaconess School of Nursing until 1968.  She then worked as Chaplain’s Assistant in the Pastoral Care Department at Lutheran General Hospital until 1971.

In 1971, Olive moved back to Hoffman to care for her aging parents until 1985.  During that time she worked as the Administrator at Crestview Manor in Evansville (1972-74).

In 1985, she moved back to Park Ridge, Illinois, where she worked in nursing capacity at the Lutheran General Hospital and Deaconess Residence and Patient Service until she retired.

Olive was active in her church, loved to sing and was a great storyteller.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Orlano Hanson, and sister-in-law, Ruth Hanson.  She is survived by her brother, Harland, and sister-in-law, Darlene Hanson, of Hoffman; nephews, Marcus and Larry Hanson (sons of brother, Orlano) and Larry’s children, Jennifer, Braydan and Lauren, and nephews, Steve, Joel (Natalie), Mike (Valerie), John (Carrie), and Sam (Karen) Hanson, as well as nieces, Marcy (Don) Lidtke and Becky Hanson (children of Harland).  She is also survived by many grand-nieces and grand-nephews, and cousins.

There will be a Graveside Service at a later date at Lincoln Lutheran Cemetery of rural Hoffman.

Funeral Home: Erickson-Smith Funeral Home of Hoffman.

Condolences: EricksonSmithFH.Com