Alvina Carolina Hansen

Alvina Carolina (Meyer) Hansen, 88, of Moline died March 11, 2017, at The Springs in Naperville, Illinois. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 18, 2017, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1330-13th St., Moline. Visitation will be Friday from 4-7 p.m. at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd., 6601-38th Ave., Moline.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church Blessed Beginnings Preschool Alvina Hansen Scholarship Fund or to Augustana College Alvina Hansen Scholarship Fund.

Alvina “Al” was born August 5, 1928, to Adolph Meyer and Wilhelmina Fuchs Meyer in McIntosh SD.  The family moved to Salem Oregon in 1936.  She married Dr. Reverend Ralph Hansen on August 22, 1948, in Salem.  Alvina attended Midland College in Freemont, NE.  She earned her B.A. degree in Education at Augustana College in 1965 and a Masters in Early Childhood Education from the University of Illinois in 1976.

Alvina was passionate about her faith, her family and friends and her work.

Alvina was a very active, long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church. She served on the Church Board, on the Boards of Blessed Beginnings and Lunch Bunch and served as an Usher, Befriender, on the Hunger Team, Ruth Circle and on Team 1330.

Everyone who knew Al loved her and none more than her beloved family.  She lost her adoring husband, Ralph, after 56 years of marriage.

Her family will miss her, including her children: Richard (Linda) Hansen Monument, CO, Gail (Jeff) Gahn, Naperville, IL, David (Siri) Hansen, Roselle, IL, Dennis (Janet) Hansen, Evergreen Park, IL, Thea (Chad) Bettis, Moline, IL; grandchildren and great grandchildren will miss their Nanny Al, Jennifer (Jay) Barangan - Katrina, Zachary, Ethan, Allison (Bill) Casey – Ryan, Andrew, Emilie, Sean (Kathryn) Farmer –Tyler, Whitney, Alexis, Joshua, Richard (Kristina) Hansen – Eva, Parker, Kelly Farmer, Sarah Gahn-Brady – Magnolia, Dahlia, William “Liam”, Aleta (Paul) Wagner – Naomi, Andrew (Leah) Hansen, Elizabeth (Sasha) Grujic, Jon Hansen, Christian (Nikki) Ingram, Matthew Hansen, Derek Bettis, Paul Hansen.  Her siblings will miss her friendship, Leona (Jack) Merrick, Arlene Burger, Dale (Barbara) Meyer.  Her parents, a sister Lorraine Wolf and a brother Edward Meyer preceded her in death.

Everyone admired Al’s work ethic.   She and her brothers and sisters worked picking berries and beans every summer to help her parents purchase a house.  She was always a top worker, earning the Willamette Valley Boysenberry Picker Championship. She applied that drive to everything she did.  She worked as a bookkeeper and then after finishing her education degree was the Head Teacher and then the Director of Red Shoes preschool. She was a key part of the Augustana Lab School for 27 years and was honored when they named the building, the Hansen House. She was named a Western Illinois Master Teacher in 1993.  After she retired in 1995, she was asked to work with WQPT’s "Ready To Learn” program. She presented over 100 workshops each year at community and conference centers, churches, schools and prisons slowing down and finally retiring at age 86.  She loved to travel and visited almost every continent.  She was a gracious hostess and opened her home to friends and groups gracing them with her wonderful cooking and if they were very lucky, her world-famous cinnamon rolls.

Al touched everyone she met with her twinkling blue eyes, her welcoming smile and her kindness.  Her loss is felt by all who knew her.