Viola Hansen

Viola (Verheul) Hansen, age 97, of Ortonville, died May 27, 2014, at Northridge Residence in Ortonville.

A memorial service will be held at St. John's Catholic Church in Ortonville on Thursday, July 3, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. with Fr. Germaine Radermacher officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be held at Mound Cemetery.

Viola Helen VanHout was born on November 18, 1916, in rural Big Stone City, SD to Peter and Charlotte VanHout. As a young woman she moved to Ortonville and worked at the Corner Cafe where she met and fell in love with the "butcher boy", George "Jiggs" Verheul. They were married on July 7, 1940. When Jiggs returned from WWII in 1945 they lived in Big Stone City. They moved to Ortonville In 1950 where they resided until 1957. Then they bought a hobby farm on the lakeroad where they lived until her beloved Jiggs passed away in 1971.

In 1972 Viola married H.V. (Gene) Hansen and spent 14 very happy years with him until he passed away in 1986.

Viola then moved to Colorado to be near her daughter Sally. In 1997 she moved back to Minnesota to her little cabin on Big Stone Lake. Five years later she moved back into Ortonville where she resided until her death.

Viola's life consisted of raising five children, which she excelled at. Her greatest joys in life were taking care of her family and her garden.

Viola is survived by her children Richard (Rita) Verheul, Donald (Carolyn) Verheul, and Susan (Dan) Hanratty, all of Ortonville; Thomas (Ruthie) Verheul of DuBois, Wyoming and Sally (Jim) Tyler of Hayden, Colorado; eleven grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren; sisters Gladys VanStralen, Georgetta Giessinger, Dorothy Prasnicki and Diane Kvidera; and many nieces and nephews.

Viola was preceded in death by her husbands, Jiggs and Gene; parents Peter and Charlotte VanHout; siblings Glenn VanHout and Marie Giessinger; granddaughter Valerie Verheul; grandson Mark Verheul; and great granddaughter Ella Schlup.