Elsie Gertrude Hanson 102 of Lyle died Saturday morning October 4, 2014 at her daughter's home in Albert Lea.

She was born July 15, 1912 in Berlin Germany, the daughter of Paul and Bertha Schmidt. She and her family moved to the United States when Elsie was three months old. They settled in the St. Paul area for a time and later moved to Iowa. She attended country school in Farnhamville, Iowa through the eighth grade. Elsie was the oldest of 10 children.

On September 6, 1938 she married Verner Hanson in Gowrie, Iowa. they moved to the Lyle area in 1954 where they farmed until 1971. Elsie worked on the farm alongside her husband. They later moved into Lyle where they owned and operated the Lyle DX gas station until 1977. Elsie worked alongside Verner pumping gas, working on engines and changing and patching tires. After Verner's death in August of 1977 Elsie continued to operate the gas station for a short time on her own. She enjoyed traveling, visiting all 50 states and Canada. She was secretary of the Woodbury Cemetery Association, an active and willing member of the Lyle Senior Citizens and Our Saviors Lutheran Church, member of the Lyle Memory Gardens and other various activities in the Lyle community. Elsie was an avid gardener. She loved her flowers and enjoyed her vegetable garden. She also had a love for playing Scrabble, playing cards, doing crossword puzzles and especially Mexican Train Dominoes with her friends at Heritage House in Lyle.

Survivors include 4 children, 16 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, 5 great great grandchildren, one brother, one sister and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, oldest son Leonard, two sons-in-law Duane Orth and Paul Kemp, 2 brothers Paul and Kurt and 5 sisters Margaret, Trudy, Erna, Frieda and Ann.

Elsie moved out of her home in Lyle and lived her last six years at the Heritage House in Lyle. Family and friends came to see her often and lovingly checked in on her and drove her places and made it possible for her to stay in her apartment where she was so happy.

Funeral services will be at 11AM Friday at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Lyle with the Rev. Barbara Finley-Shea officiating. Interment will follow the service at Woodbury Cemetery in Rural Lyle. Visitation will be from 4 to 7PM Thursday at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.

Source: Albert Lea Tribune