Lifelong retired newspaper columnist and practicing pianist Donna Delight Hansen passed away peacefully on August 30, 2021, at the Hospice House of Olathe, KS, at the age of 84. She was surrounded by family and loved ones who will continue to honor her legacy by pursuing knowledge and appreciating the fine arts.
She was born to Lester and Doris Dehling on January 7, 1937, in Sault Sainte Marie, MI. After graduating from Montello High School as Valedictorian and Class President in 1954, Donna completed her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education in 1958 at Wisconsin State College-Stevens Point. She taught choral and vocal music for three years for the Wautoma, WI, School District, then met her soon to be husband, Ramon, and began a lifelong journey in the world of journalism.
Donna began her career as an office manager in 1961 in Wautoma, while working at the Waushara Argus. In 1964, Mr. Hansen sold the newspaper but the two continued to maintain contact through correspondence. Donna and Ramon DeVere Hansen were wed at the Bloomfield Methodist Church on March 13, 1965, in Bloomfield, NE. Serving as attendants were Ramon’s parents, Ray and Marie Hansen. After the wedding, the couple honeymooned at the Elms Resort in Excelsior Springs, MO. Donna and Ramon were married for 56 years and during that time, they spent the vast majority of those years owning, managing, and operating community newspapers.
In 1965, the couple moved to Frankfort, IN for a short while and eventually settled in Omaha, NE, where the couple’s two sons were born in 1966. In 1970, the family moved to Neodesha, KS, where together they owned and operated the Neodesha Sun until 1974. After a long and relaxing vacation on Lake Michigan in Door County, the family acquired the Prairie Drummer in Colby, KS, and eventually sold the operation in 1978 whereupon they moved to Siloam Springs, AR, and purchased the Interstate News. After a successful six-year run with the Interstate News, the couple relocated to Carthage, NY, and together the couple went to work for the Watertown Daily Times and managed and operated the Carthage Republican Tribune.
Donna officially retired in 2006 but continued to serve as a guest columnist for the Carthage Republican Tribune for several years after her retirement. Donna’s pride was in a well-written article, her reflective weekly column (On The Aisle) or an accurate description of the countless local government and school board meetings she covered and reported on over the years. Donna also spent many a Saturday afternoon taking pictures at countless weddings during her earlier years and tirelessly managed the accounting and financial operations of their business ventures until her passing.
In 2019, the couple relocated to their final home at Cedar Lake Village Retirement Community in Olathe, KS. Donna was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. Donna was a devoted mother and together with her husband of 56 years, they had two sons: Christopher and Eric. Donna was the proud grandmother to five grandchildren: Megan Turpin (Tommy), Gardner; Halie Linduff (Harrison), Shawnee; Taylor Hansen, Fort Lauderdale; Grant Hansen, Lawrence; and Levi Hansen, Shawnee; and one great-granddaughter, Savannah Turpin, Gardner.
Donna loved spending time in the kitchen and creating delicious meals for her family. She was also a skilled piano player and regularly filled their home with the sounds of classical music. The simplest pleasures in life brought great joy to Donna. She loved a morning conversation over coffee or a quiet evening with friends and a glass of wine in hand. Donna served as Choral Director for the Carthage Music Club, Publicity Chairman for the Carthage Area Hospital Auxiliary and was a proud member of the Red Hats Club. Donna and Ray spent many an afternoon or evening traveling to a fancy dinner and a theatrical performance in the many areas of the country where they resided. After retirement, Donna and Ray enjoyed spending time traveling to Chautauqua, NY and inviting family and friends to join them for time at the Institute. Their shared love for theater and fine dining took the couple on many bus trips to Niagara on The Lake, the Shaw Festival and New York City. Donna also delighted in tending to her countless bird feeders as well as the many flowers and plants that sprouted each spring at their home in Carthage. In her later years, Donna filled the role of saintly servant to her husband Ray in the capacity of his primary caregiver. She was also a member of the Cedar Lake Book Club and enjoyed participating in various musical groups during her time at the retirement village.
A memorial service for immediate family, relatives and residents of Cedar Lake Village is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 12, at the Cedar Lake Village Worship Center in Olathe, KS. Donna was preceded in death by her parents Otto Toepper and Doris Niehaus of Montello. Donna is survived by her husband Ramon, of the home; sons, Christopher (Kimberly) Shawnee, KS, and Eric (Angela) Gardner, KS.
