Sharon Kay Hansen, age 59, died at the Spooner Hospital on Friday, March 25, 2011. Sharon was born in Amery Wisconsin on June 30, 1951 to Val and Lois (Nitzkowski) Hansen. Sharon was Baptized in the Christian Faith on September 14, 1951. She was preceded in death by mother Lois Hansen, sister Shelley Andrie, nieces Nicole Riegel and Tracy Lorentz. Sharon is survived by father Val (Yvonne) Hansen; sisters Elaine (Paul) Lorentz, Deborah Riegel, Vicki (Galen) Stauner, Paula (Jim) Bremer, and Teri (Dan) Pelava; and many nieces and nephews.
Up until the past five years, Sharon had been very active at the Adult Development Center in Balsam Lake, alongside her mother who kept busy promoting and supporting the center. Having Downs Syndrome never slowed Sharon down. She participated in the Special Olympics; worked with her hands in knitting, latch-hook, and cutting coupons; went swimming and biking with her siblings; and loved to sing and dance. In the past five years, her dementia and vision failure had progressed and she went to live in an Aurora home in Spooner Wisconsin with others who have special needs. She was given exceptional love and care by the staff at her Aurora home.
There will be a visitation held at the Deronda Lutheran Church on Friday, April 1, at 10:00am prior to the funeral service at 11:00am with Pastor Jerry Schultz officiating. Burial service will be at the Little Falls Cemetery following the funeral. Pallbearers will be (nieces and nephews) PJ Lorentz, Amy Kellerhuis, Jake Riegel, Faith Swager, Jeremias Haasnoot, Matt Stauner, Valerie Webber, Jamie King, and Brianna LaBlanc.