Donalee Hansen, age 59, of Valley City, ND, died Thursday, October 22nd at her residence surrounded by her family under Hospice of the Red River Valley Care. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, October 28th at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Valley City. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 27th from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Lerud Mathias Funeral Home. The Rosary will be recited at 6:30 PM Tuesday evening at the funeral home. A vigil service will be held at 7:00 PM Tuesday evening at the funeral home. Inurnment will be in St. Catherine’s Catholic Cemetery.
Donalee Arlene (Miller) Hansen, the youngest of three children, was born to Aina and Donald Miller in Deer Lodge, MT October 21, 1961. She graduated in 1980 from Coeur d’Alene High School, Coeur d’Alene, ID. While in Idaho, she gave birth to her first son, Sean. She and young Sean moved to Fort Collins, CO where she met the love of her life, Joel Hansen. They moved to Valley City, ND and were married November 16, 1990. Their union was blessed with two children, daughter Ariel and son Jacob. Donalee worked at various establishments in Valley City, including several years at Dakota Clinic, Allard Trophy, and, most recently, the Sheyenne Care Center. Donalee was well known as a ‘straight-shooter’ and a friendly ear to talk to. She enjoyed taking road trips with Joel and mother-in-law Rita Clancy. She looked forward to trips to Idaho to visit her aunt Sandra and cousins, Robin and Sharon, who were so dear to her heart. She loved spoiling her grandchildren and co-workers with her ‘butter and love’ cookies and doted on her ‘bubba’, fur-baby Dakota. The winter holidays were her and Joel’s favorite time of year when they could spoil the whole family and Donalee could renew her love/hate relationship with cooking for a crowd. She kept things simple and low-key, helping her family de-stress in this busy world. She will be dearly missed by all her family and friends.
Donalee is survived by her husband of 30 years, Joel; her children, Sean (Kerstin) Cochran of Fingal; Ariel (Eric) Parkman of Hope; and Jacob (Kylie Tripp) Hansen of Jamestown; several grandchildren dear to her heart; brother Tim Miller of Montana; mother-in-law Rita Clancy Valley City; brother-in-law Jerry (Sara) Hansen of West Virginia; sister-in-laws Jaci (Bill) Oliver of Arizona, and Cindy Hansen of Fargo; Brothers-in-law John (Colleen) Clancy of Tower City, Jerry (Carol) Clancy of Thompson; sister-in-law Kathy (Don) Schlotman; several nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents Aina (Rintala) & Donald Miller; fathers-in-law, Norman L. Hansen and Adrian Clancy; brother Leslie Miller and brother-in-law Jeff Hansen. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the compassionate Hospice workers & care-givers, who took such good care of her in her final days.