Rosa Theresia Hansen, 91, passed away Thursday, March 4, 2021, at her home surrounded by family.
She was born Feb. 27, 1930, in Traunfeld, Austria, to Ferdinand and Magdalena (Regner) Brandl.
As a young girl, Rosa survived Nazi and Russian occupation of her small Austrian village during World War II. In 1946, at age 16, she began a pen-pal friendship with an American boy, David Hansen, that would eventually lead to their marriage. But first, while in college in Vienna in 1952, Rosa came by ship to America on the Marshall Plan as an agricultural exchange student. She returned to America in 1954 to work as a paper-chemistry lab technician in Appleton, Wis., where her longtime pen pal lived. They met in person for the first time in July of 1954 and married one month later.
After finishing school and working/living in Appleton and Chicago, Rosa moved to La Porte, Ind., with her husband and three children, soon to add two more. Despite financial hardship, the family spent years rebuilding an old farmhouse into a new home, first digging the basement by hand and building up from there. While her kids ran a small farm, Rosa worked as a nurse’s aide at La Porte Hospital for many years before going to work for Michiana Industries in Michigan City, Ind., helping disabled individuals become more independent.
Rosa enjoyed gardening, reading, traveling, cooking and sewing, as well as housing and caring for adults with mental disabilities. Rosa loved visiting and talking to her many friends, especially her lifelong neighborhood friends, Margaret and Angelika, and her many family members, both in Austria and the United States.
Surviving Rosa are her children, Bernard Hansen of Oxford, N.C., Patricia Hansen of La Porte, Wendy Hansen of Albuquerque, N.M., David Hansen of Zurich, Switzerland, and Daren Hansen of Appleton; 11 grandchildren, Mat (Denise) Davidson of San Jose, Calif., Mike Davidson of Huntington Beach, Calif., Alyssa Hansen of Raleigh, N.C., Lauren Askenazy of Albuquerque, Joseph Hansen of Zurich, Nicholas Hansen of Zurich, Francis Hansen of Zurich, Benjamin Hansen of Appleton, Egan Hansen of Appleton, Emma Hansen of Oxford, and Olivia Hansen of Oxford; 2 great-grandchildren, Sasha and Reece Davidson; brother, Ferdinand Regner of Traunfeld, Austria; and many nieces and nephews in Traunfeld and nearby villages and towns.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Magdalena (Leni); and grandson, Alex Askenazy.
The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude for the kindness and care that Heather, Ronda, Pat, Debbie, Bob, Ron, Chuck, and many others provided to Rosa in the final years of her life.
Cremation has taken place with Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, La Porte. A private family service will take place at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the donor’s choice.
Messages of condolence may be posted below.