Shirley Hansen, 88, of Iowa Falls, passed away on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at Scenic Manor in Iowa Falls. A private family service will be held at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the Hardin County Emergency Food Pantry at 637 South Oak St., Iowa Falls, IA 50126. Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Surls Funeral Home in Iowa Falls.
Shirley Edna Hansen was born in Iowa Falls on August 28, 1934 to Edward Charles and Theodora (Buchanow) Benda. She graduated from Iowa Falls High School. On June 24, 1954, Shirley was united in marriage to Laurence Hansen. She and Laurence raised three sons, Larry, Jeffrey, and Steven on the family farm. Shirley lived in Iowa Falls her entire life. She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church.
Shirley was the epitome of what it meant to be a dedicated farmer’s wife, a devoted mother, an endearing grandmother, and who could cook like no one else. Known for her delicious homemade pies, her secret to making a recipe even better was to add a simple spoonful of sugar. Every year when harvest and planting seasons were in full swing, day after day, she would trace dusty gravel roads to the fence line to bring Laurence his mid-morning lunch break, and long after the sun had gone down, she would greet him and the boys in the kitchen while keeping a hearty supper warm on the stove after a hard day’s work was behind them.
She was a selfless woman who loved, nurtured, encouraged, and viewed motherhood and her family as her highest calling while never expecting anything in return. She will always be remembered with her classic, comical line, “Well, it’s the truth!”, after she gave us a bold, but sharp dose of reality which we all undoubtingly needed to hear.
Our entire family owes a huge “thank you” to our dear mother who helped instill morals and values of kindness, honesty, love, and hard work, by raising us on our Iowa family farm. Shirley was both a blessing and a gift and we will deeply miss her. Free from her suffering with a heart worthy of heaven, she now rests in her eternal home with Laurence, the love her life for 67 years, while abiding forever in the presence of God and His eternal peace.
Shirley is survived by her sons Larry (Teri Turner) Hansen of Alden, Iowa, Jeffery (Deb) Hansen of West Des Moines, Iowa and Steven (Gail) Hansen from Des Moines, Iowa, 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Laurence, and her sisters, Waneva Huffman and Phyllis Bray.
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