Joe Hansen

Ernest W. “Joe” Hansen, 69, of Winterset died Sunday, June 16, 2013 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 19, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Winterset. A visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 18 at Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare, with family present to receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. A second memorial service will be held 11 a.m., Friday, June 21 at the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Council Bluffs, with burial in St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Boomer Township, Pottawattamie County. Memorials may be directed to the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Winterset. Ernest Wayne Hansen was born in Maxton, North Carolina in a military hospital on Mother’s Day, May 14, 1944, to Byron and Helen (Hetrick) Hansen. The family later settled in and around the Underwood, Iowa area where Joe grew up and attended school. Later he graduated from California State University in Fullerton, CA where he received a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Joe was first married to Delores Swanger on August 27, 1962 and two children were born to this union, Renee and Brad. Later he married Liz Jepsen on November 23, 1997 in Ida Grove. During his working career he worked with the Union Pacific Railroad for several years and returned to Iowa to work construction in and around Council Bluffs. Later he worked as Director of Operations at Mercy Hospital and for Lewis Central Schools both in Council Bluffs before moving to Des Moines where he was Director of Buildings And Grounds for the West Des Moines School District. His last employment, prior to his retirement, was with the Heartland AEA 11 where he was the Chief of Staff. Upon his marriage to Liz, Joe settled in the Winterset area where he enjoyed fishing, church projects, having family celebrations and music. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Winterset, where he was active in many church activities. Joe is survived by his wife, Liz Hansen of Winterset; children, Brad (Sue) Hansen of Maple Grove, MN; Renee (Bryan) Goss of Council Bluffs; step-children, Joe Johnson of Ida Grove; Ramona (Bill) Sanford of Omaha, and Patty (Michael) DeLuna of Arlington, NE. He is also survived by his five siblings, Larry (Sharon) Hansen of Council Bluffs; Roger (Doryne) Hansen of Colorado Springs, CO; Marlene (Michael) Collins of Omaha; Lillie (Marty) White of Roy, UT, and Joyce (Tommy Conlon) Trafton of Council Bluffs; four grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; and seven step great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.