Betty Hanson

Funeral Services for Betty Ann Hanson, 84, of Texas, formerly of Ekalaka, MT will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 22, 2017 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Ekalaka with Pastor Steve DeFord officiating. Burial will take place in Beaver Lodge Cemetery.


Visitation for Betty will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, April 21 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Ekalaka.


Betty passed away on Thursday, April 13, 2017, at Angel Bright Hospice in Corpus Christi, Texas.


Betty was born on April 20, 1932, in Deadwood, SD, to John R. and Mary (Genre) Owen, the youngest of four children. She grew up on the family ranch in the Ridgeway, Montana, area where she attended country school and graduated from Carter County High School in 1950, her senior year completed by correspondence course.


A day late for their own wedding, on October 10, 1949, she married Llewellyn Henry Hanson, her husband of 65 years and the love of her life. To this union, three children were born: Judy, Owen, and Carla.


Betty was dauntless and a loving encourager. About every 5 years Llewellyn was ready for a new challenge, which also usually involved moving to a new area. They spent their first several years in ranching, first in southeastern Montana, then later outside Bison, SD, and Colony, WY; then on to mining uranium in the Slim Buttes of Harding County, SD; hauling bentonite and gravel; owning and operating their own backhoe and steam cleaning service in the oil fields of Belle Creek, MT; owning and managing gold jewelry stores in Phoenix, AZ; and a backhoe and rock hauling business in Golden Valley, AZ.


Wherever they went, she made their house into a home and instilled a love and respect for God in her children. She taught women’s Bible studies and served as president of the Christian Women’s Club in Mesa, AZ. Betty loved beauty and music, encouraging each of her children to learn a musical instrument. She loved to sew and was a self-taught seamstress, making much of her family’s clothing. She and Llewellyn created beautiful redwood burl furniture and clocks. With her own two hands she built lovely rock verandas at their home in Golden Valley, AZ. She later taught herself woodworking and built several pieces of furniture and furnishings for their home and as gifts to family and friends.


She delighted in visits with friends and family, and will be dearly missed.


She is survived by her son, Owen (Debbie) Hanson and two daughters, Judy Hanson and Carla Ferguson; six grandchildren: Leslie (Scott) DeMers, Brock (Erin) Hanson, Joshua (Melanie) Saddler, Lisa Garner, Mary Ann and Travis Ferguson; 5 great-grandchildren: Annika DeMers; Kainen, Elsie, and Julian Hanson; August Garner; and sister, Celia (Richard) Yates.


She was preceded in death by her beloved husband; her parents; brother, Richard Owen, sister, Margaret Schwartz; two step-brothers, Lyle and Sam Tauck; and former son-in-law, Richard Ferguson.


Burial Date: April 22, 2017
Funeral Home Ekalaka, MT
Church Stevenson Funeral Home

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 22, 2017, Stevenson Funeral Home, Ekalaka, MT
Visitation: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, April 21, 2017, Stevenson Funeral Home, Ekalaka, MT