Esther Hansen, 98, formerly of Gambier, passed peacefully on December 2, 2022, at Whispering Hills Care Center.
Esther was born to Danish immigrants in Washington, D.C., where she spent her early years across from the Old Soldiers Home, Lincoln’s place of refuge.
She followed her lifelong desire to be a teacher, focusing on remedial reading, but also spent a year at Neuchatel in France, learning French. Her parents made sure she saw her Danish relatives, taking or sending her by ocean liner several times. She also toured Austria met a wonderful nun who had sheltered people during the German invasion, and discovered the book IN THE LIGHT OF TRUTH, which was to shape her whole life.
When her parents declined, she moved with them to Arizona, where she started a small business that served children with reading difficulties, training others, and teaching herself. She opened doors for those children, one of whom called her later from the Naval Academy to thank her for what she had done for him.
Esther wrote at least four books, the first, NO ORDINARY AMERICAN, was about her father. She also wrote about caregiving, aging, and a Danish Christmas. Later she helped translate her favorite book into English from German.
Residents of Gambier will remember her walking Bucky around the village and discussing books with friends, old and new. The village took care of her, from the wonderful postal workers to librarians to members of AHAH (A Hand at Home) to Courtney DeCoskey in the Village offices, to Penny at the bank.
There will be a Grail Funeral Service on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at Snyder Funeral Home – Lasater Chapel, starting at 11:00 AM.
Funeral home : Snyder Funeral Home
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