Darlene Faye Hansen

    Darlene Faye Lange Hansen was born at home on December 6, 1931, in Sharon Township in Audubon County and passed away in her sleep at the Exira Care Center on March 5, 2023, at the age of 91 years, 2 months and 30 days. She was the 10th child (out of 11) born to Laurits Peter and Dagmar Andrea (Mortensen) Lange, the youngest of the third set of twins in the family. She was baptized and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran Church near Kimballton. She attended country school through the eighth grade. After finishing school, Darlene worked for local farm wives cleaning house, babysitting, canning, sewing, or whatever task needed done. During these years she honed her cooking, housekeeping and bed making skills.

    Darlene met her perfect match, Derward Hansen, at a local dance and they were married on February 26, 1950, at Bethany Lutheran. Six children were born of this marriage: Jolene, Wayne, Craig, Becky, Cristie, and Janelle. Early in their marriage, they lived in the Kimballton area and in Exira. In June of 1962, Derward and Darlene bought land east of Exira and built a basement home for their family. In 1968, the couple built a house on the basement and lived in this home until June 2006, when they moved into Exira. Derward passed away on August 4, 2006. Darlene continued to live in their house until she moved into an assisted living unit at the Exira Care Center in September of 2017. She entered the nursing home at Exira Care Center in October of 2019.

    Over the years, Darlene worked as an aide at Salem Lutheran Homes in Elk Horn and Exira Care Center in Exira. After leaving the nursing home industry, Darlene and her sister Myrtle cleaned and painted homes in the Elk Horn, Kimballton, Exira area. Darlene loved her family, babies, singing, laughing, Christmas, feeding people, dogs, polka-dancing, red heads, and a well-made bed.

    Darlene was a long-time member of Exira Lutheran Church, serving on the Church Council and as a Sunday School teacher for many years. She was a member of the Exira Flame Gals, Exira Lions Club and the Exira Red Hats.

Preceding Darlene in death were her husband, her parents, her son Wayne, her grandsons Justin Hansen and Nathan Knudsen, her son-in-law Paul Knudsen, her siblings and their spouses: Edna and Ed Jensen, Elsie and Arnold Bro, Selma and Harry Walters, Emmert and Erma Lange, Irma and Thomas Madsen, Frank and Shirley Lange, Myrtle and Dale Juelsgaard, Mildred and Folmer Weddum, and Kenneth Lange; her brothers-in-law and spouse: Glen and Betty Hansen, and Darrell Hansen.

    Darlene is survived by her children Jolene (Clay) Andresen of Exira; Craig (Tracey) Hansen of Wilton, Iowa; Becky (Mark) Rold of Elk Horn, Iowa; Cristie Knudsen of Exira; and Janelle (Ken) Hunnicutt of Giltner, Ne; Daughter-in-law Tam Hansen of Cumming, Iowa; 25 grandchildren plus spouses; 52 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; her twin sister Dorothy Hansen of Webster City, Iowa; her sister-in-law Elizabeth Lange of Elgin, Texas; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.