Dorothy Blanche Hansen (Johns)

Dorothy B. Hansen, 89, of Sioux City passed away Friday, April 4, 2014, at Countryside Retirement Center in Sioux City.
Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Grace United Methodist Church in Sioux City, with the Rev. Harold Werley officiating. Burial will be in Le Mars Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home. Expressions of sympathy may be directed through www.christysmith.com .
Dorothy Blanche Johns was born on March 27, 1925, in Le Mars, Iowa, the daughter of Lloyd and Edith Blanche (Charlton) Johns. She graduated from Le Mars High School in 1943. She continued her education at the former Western Union College in Le Mars for one year and then went on to complete her music education at Drake University, graduating in 1947. She taught general music classes in the Des Moines Public School System, before raising her family.
Dorothy married Neil K. Finstad on Aug. 24, 1946, and to this marriage they raised three children. During these years, Dorothy was very active with Mother’s Club, P.T.A., P.E.O., Sunday school teaching, and many other church activities.
Dorothy was also the mom in the neighborhood that all of the neighborhood kids flocked to. Her happy and generous spirit was always a part of all of that, as anyone who knew her could testify. Neil passed away in 1965. On Sept. 2, 1966, Dorothy married Keith W. Hansen. Their marriage was blessed for 34 wonderful years until Keith passed away in 2000.
In the years that followed Keith’s passing, Dorothy continued to be active with her many organizations and activities. They included Goodwill Auxiliary, the Soup Kitchen, Chapter JH P.E.O., Elco Garhum, church circle at Grace United Methodist Church, and other activities within the church, as well as a faithful member of Grace, and finally a volunteer for St. Luke’s, one of her favorite places that she looked forward to going to on Thursdays.
Dorothy’s joy was her family and, of course, her many friends from church and her other volunteer activities, as well as her neighbors. She was a blessing to all who knew her, and she will be deeply missed by her family and her many friends.
Grateful to have shared her life are her children, Julee (Tom) Abrahamson of Cherokee, Iowa, David (Dianne) Finstad of Racine, Wis., and Kevin (Annelle) Finstad of Lino Lakes, Minn.; six grandchildren, Doug, Brian, Dawn, Daniel, Katrina and Danae; 10 great-grandchildren; her sister, Jane Robar of Danville, Ind.; as well as her many nieces and nephews and special neighbors, Lisa and Leslie Rolfes and children.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Neil and Keith; her brother, Robert Johns and his wife, Dorothy; her sister, Geraldine Mullineaux and her husband, Paul; a brother-in-law, Dale Robar; and her stepson, David James Hansen.
The family wishes to give special thanks to Lisa and Leslie Rolfes and their family, as well as Hospice of Siouxland and Home Instead for their care of our mother.
Thank you, God for giving our mother, grandma, and friend to us for 89 years and the special way that she entered and left this earth.
Memorials may be directed to Grace United Methodist Church or Hospice of Siouxland.