Donald Ray Hansen

Donald Hansen, age 88 of Yankton SD and formerly of LeMars IA, passed away on August 26, 2026, of cancer.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 am on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Remsen, IA. Reverend Trish Underberg will officiate. Burial will be at Resthaven Memory Gardens in Le Mars. Visitation with family present will be from 4:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at Rexwinkel Funeral Home in Le Mars. There will be a prayer service at 6 pm. Visitation will resume at 9:30 am until service time on Wednesday at the church. Arrangements are with the Rexwinkel Funeral Home in Le Mars. Expressions of sympathy can be extended to the family through www.rexwinkelfh.com.

Don was born in 1937 to Ervin and Frances (Weinrich) Hansen in LeMars. He graduated from LeMars Community School.

He worked as an electrician for Bob’s Electric in Remsen for 27 years and maintenance at Floyd Valley Hospital for 20 years. Don also spent 6 years in the Army National Guard of Iowa as a cook.

In 1961 he married the love of his life, Marianne Schoep. Anyone who met them could see their love and devotion for each other their entire lives.

His children have many fond memories of him, including him making the best fried chicken for Sunday dinners, and of him purposely driving out onto Hwy 3 in Remsen after church so that they didn’t know if they were going home for dinner or driving to the Villager restaurant in LeMars. Sunday supper was most always popcorn.

They were members of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Remsen. Don has been a member of St Paul’s for over 75 years, from when he was a young boy. He served as the Sunday School Superintendent and janitor/maintenance for many years.

Don and Marianne loved playing cards with friends. In later years, they had a rule, ‘You can’t cook on Sundays!’, which their friends were happy to go along with. Don was always quick to tease his grandkids and great-grandkids, who affectionately called him Grandpa Donald Duck.

Survivors are his children Jane (Calvin) Slota, Scott (Pat) Hansen, and Tammy Miles (Pete Calderon); grandchildren Adam (Kim) Slota, Emily (Matt) Rohmiller, Jordan (Bre) Hansen, and Hanna Miles, and 10 great-grandchildren. Other survivors include sisters Darlene Albers and Debbie Harte, sister-in-law Beth Roder, brothers-in-law Arden (Diane) Schoep and Cary (Elaine) Schoep.

Don was preceded in death by his wife, Marianne.

The family requests no flowers or plants.