Anna Lucille Hanson

Anna Lucille Hanson, former long-time resident of Postville, passed away on August 22nd at the Woodridge Supportive Living facility in Galesburg, Illinois at the age of 95.

Lucille was born in Waukon, Iowa to the late John and Mabel Huffman (Dougherty) of Rossville on February 27, 1926. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Pius Catholic Church in nearby Cherry Mound and graduated from Waukon High School in 1943.  After graduation, she worked as a secretary at the Lansing button factory for 11 years. It was during this time that she met the love of her life, Ralph Hanson, who had just returned from Army service in the European Theater.  After an eight-year courtship, they were married on June 19, 1954, at St. Pius.  They soon started a family with Lucille as a housewife and Ralph partnering in a Lansing grocery store.  In 1963, they purchased Koevenig’s Variety in Postville which eventually became Hanson’s Variety, a business icon in the town for over 30 years.  During those years, Lucille did “double-duty” as housewife and worked at the store during busier times of the year. They sold the business and retired in 1995.

As part of the “greatest generation,” she lived her life by the characteristics that defined that era; commitment, integrity, self-sacrifice, work ethic and personal responsibility.  First and foremost, she was a devoted wife to Ralph and a caring mother to her four sons Jeffery, Roger, Donn and Scott.  Lucille was a lifelong Catholic, devoted to St. Jude and the rosary, and active in the churches in both Lansing and Postville.  Her pastimes included dancing, being on the river, collecting dolls and entertaining friends and family.  After Ralph passed away in 1997, she continued to live in Postville for several years and eventually moved to Waukon.

Lucille was preceded in death by her husband Ralph, parents John and Mabel, brothers Creighton Leroy, Cletus, Ray, Curtis, sister Alice, and special friend and dancing partner, Jack Marsden.  She is survived by her sister Maxine, sons Jeffrey (Ellen) Cedar Rapids, IA, Roger (LuAnn) Monument, CO, Donn (Vicki) Galesburg, IL and Scott (Daneen) Ballwin MO, grandchildren Jennifer, Kimberly, Brett, Kelly, Amanda, Kristine, and Michael, and great-grandchildren Keegan, Brayden and Joselyn. Lucille is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

The rosary will be prayed at 3:30 p.m., followed by a visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday August 26th at the Grau Funeral Home in Postville, Iowa. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Bridget Catholic Church on Friday, August 27th at 11:00 am with a reception after the service. Interment will follow at the Oak Hill Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. in Lansing. The family would like to thank the staff at Prairie Hills Assisted Living facility in Cedar Rapids and Woodridge Supportive Living facility in Galesburg for the excellent care she received.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations are made to St. Bridget Catholic Church.