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Hansen, Madelon Rose

Sep 11, 1934 - Jan 31, 2014

Survived by children, Kristi Hansen Manley, Debora Hansen Galley, Curtis Hansen, Russell Hansen, and Randall Hansen; sister Mary Lil Cole; brothers, Deuane Watts, and Don Watts; 12 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren.

Memorials may be directed to the family. MASS of CHRISTIAN BURIAL Tuesday 10am at St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Blair. Burial in the Holy Cross Cemetery. VISITATION will be Monday at the Funeral Home beginning at 3pm, with family Receiving friends 5-7pm, and VIGIL at 7pm. CAMPBELL-AMAN FUNERAL HOME Blair, NE 402-426-2191 www.campbellaman.com

Posted on line: Monday, February 3, 2014; Published in the Pilot Tribune Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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Madelon Rose Hansen, 79

Madelon Rose Hansen, 79, of Blair, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, in Omaha.

A Mass of Christian burial will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Blair. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday at Campbell-Aman Funeral Home beginning at 3 p.m. with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m. with a vigil at 7 p.m.

Madelon Rose Watts was born Sept. 11, 1934, in Burchard to George and Maree (Spivey) Watts.

She started school at a country school just outside of Burchard called the “Cracker Box." It only had two windows on one side, which she thought was funny because it was so small.

Her family moved to Blair where she attended West School for most of a year and then they moved to a farm southwest of Kennard. She graduated from Kennard High School at the top of her class.

She worked at the Blue Goose grocery store in Blair. She married in 1955 and was blessed with five children.

She was a great athlete and absolutely loved sports of all kinds. She played fast-pitch softball until she was 52 years old. She was a great pitcher and competed in a AAA division tournament in her 50s.

After her career ended, she was enthusiastically involved in all of her kids'sporting events. When the children were young, she and her father, George, maintained the baseball field in Kennard while coaching the boys in town. She always attempted to be at every game for her children and grandchildren, unless she just couldn’t get there because of illness or other events. She was a great motivator and supporter of her grandchildren.

Mrs. Hansen was witty, fun and had a real love for life. She wasn’t the type to just sit around. If she was able, she would always be going somewhere. She never gave in to the overwhelming job of raising five children on her own and trying to work to make a living.

She drove a school bus for Arlington where she also worked. After the bus driving days, she worked at ESU in Fremont until her retirement.

She always felt that she couldn’t give her kids enough but her kids never felt that way. Her children had a great life with more love than they could have ever imagined. Her family was her pride and joy and she loved them all. When the children would fight among each other, she was the glue that held them together. Even though she primarily raised the children alone, with some help from friends and family, people would always comment about how well behaved all of her children were. She passed on to her children the qualities of strong will, never-give-up persistence and a true love of life. She will be missed here on earth but surely treasured in heaven.

She is survived by her children: Kristi Hansen Manley (Scott), Debora Hansen Galley (Bill), Curtis Hansen (Kathy), Russell Hansen (Shari) and Randall Hansen (Brenda); sister Mary Lil Cole; brothers Deuane Watts (Beverly) and Don Watts (Gladys); grandchildren: Kyle Wilcox (Danielle), Stephanie Galley Jackson (Steven), Jessica Hansen, Jason Galley, Teresa Hansen, Kelsey Hansen, Miranda Hansen, Paul Manley, Sami Hansen, Colin Hansen, Trenten Hansen and Ali Manley; and great-grandchildren: Andrew Jackson, MaKyla Galley and William Jackson.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Dewan Watts; and grandson Drew Hansen.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Find A Grave Memorial# 124499607