Devra Hanson

Devra Jean (Withers) Hanson died peacefully at her "Deerhaven" rural home, Henning, MN, on April 4, 2014, at 4:34 p.m. after entering hospice care on April 3. She had fought a gallant, courageous three and a half year fight with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, a rare, slow-growing cancer with no known cure that ultimately affected her liver. She died holding her husband's and daughter's hands and surrounded by all her sisters, brother and other family members.
Devra was born to Judyth M. (Sether) and Donald E. Withers on May 23, 1944, in Mountain Lake, MN. She grew up in Mankato and Jackson, graduating from Jackson High School in 1962. During high school she worked at Joul Drug to save money before attending and graduating from Waldorf College with an Associate of Arts Degree in 1965. She was elected Student Body President and served in that role in her last year at Waldorf. She continued her education at Jackson Area Vocational Technical and graduated in 1966 with an Accounting Diploma. She accepted a job in the accounting department at Spencer Packing Company, Spencer, IA.
On August 28, 1966, Devra married Dan Hanson from Albert Lea, MN, who she had met at Waldorf. They spent four years on U.S. Air Force assignments at Amarillo, Texas, and Denver, Colorado. She worked in a CPA office in Amarillo and with an insurance/investment company while in Denver. In 1970 they moved to Hanlontown, IA, when Dan joined his brother in business. Devra worked at the local grade school as a teacher aide and playground assistant and then became secretary to the principal.
In 1976 Dan joined the Good Samaritan Society-Albert Lea and Devra became a secretary in the Good Samaritan Center's business office. In 1977 they moved to Luverne, MN, where Dan was administrator of Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center and Devra became the first woman insurance adjuster at Tri State Insurance. In 1978 Dan was reassigned to Good Samaritan Society-Albert Lea, and Devra worked in the office of Fountain Industries before becoming the business office/personnel manager for Good Samaritan. In 1985 she accompanied Dan to Sioux Falls, SD, when Dan became a regional director and later became the shared ministries coordinator at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, helping implement and train people for the Stephen Ministry Program. She continued in that role until 1993 when Dan relocated to the Good Samaritan Society office in St. Paul, MN, and they moved to Lakeville, MN. Here, Devra decided to pursue her dream to become a certified doll restoration artist or "doll doctor." She established Devra's Doll Hospital in 1999, and began to repair, paint, and sew doll clothes for antique dolls.
Their final moves took them back to Sioux Falls and eventually north to Henning. When she and Dan bought their old farm house and land between Battle Lake and Henning in 2006, Devra began fulfilling another dream. She worked with contractors, doing much of the planning, designing, and painting on their country home. After completion of the house in 2008, she hosted her family that summer at the new "Deerhaven" home.
A member of First Lutheran Church of Battle Lake, Devra loved her Lord and the work of the church. She led bible studies and served on Altar Guild and women's circle. She was highly respected for her winsome ways, intelligence, wisdom, empathy, and genuine interest in others. She always worked to the best of her capabilities and without any real interest in recognition. Her life was one of service to her family and others. She enjoyed their travels to Hawaii, Alaska, Norway, Italy, Germany, and, most recently, England and Scotland. She loved being around the lakes, walking the woods, tending flowers and reading.
Surviving Devra are her husband Dan, Henning, MN; daughter Kristina Krieger, Eagan, MN; sisters Lynn Tvedt (Les) of Andover, MN; Jan Bell (Dan) of New Durham, NH; Mary Lou Pletcher (Jeff) of Apple Valley, MN; brother Alan Withers, West St Paul, MN; mother-in-law Gladys Hanson, Lake Mills, IA; sisters-in- law Janet Withers, Norfolk, VA; Jean Brattrud, Clear Lake, IA; nine nieces and nephews; and eight great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, an older brother David Withers, father-in-law Harvey Hanson, and brother-in-law Richard Brattrud.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be sent in Devra's memory to one or more of the following: Hope Lodge in Rochester, MN., First Lutheran Church in Battle Lake, Mayo Cancer Research in Rochester, MN., Good Samaritan Foundation-Staff Crisis Fund, Sioux Falls, SD, Waldorf College Foundation-Staff Scholarships, Forest City, IA., Grace Lutheran Church in Hanlontown, IA., Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD.

Minnesota Funeral Service: 2:00 pm Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at the First Lutheran Church in Battle Lake

Visitation: Tuesday from 5 to 8 pm with a Prayer Service at 7:30 pm at the First Lutheran Church and from 12 noon to the time of service on Wednesday

Iowa Funeral Service: 1:00 pm Saturday, April 12, 2014 at the Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, Iowa

Visitation: Friday from 5 to 7 pm at the Mittelstadt Funeral Home in Lake Mills and one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church

Clergy: Rev. Jake Dyrhaug

Interment: Salem Memorial Cemetery by Lake Mills, Iowa






Devra's Memorial Folder