Enola Marie (Heath) Hansen, age 85, of Wiota, IA, passed away on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, IA.
Enola was born on March 6, 1939, in Bayard, Iowa, to Clare and Eunice Heath. She was baptized and confirmed at Oak Hill Lutheran Church west of Brayton, Iowa. Enola attended rural schools and graduated from Exira High School in 1957.
On June 8, 1957, Enola was united in marriage to Maynard Hansen at her parents’ home northeast of Exira. In the early years of their marriage, they resided in Elk Horn, Iowa. On June 13, 1960, they moved to Wiota, Iowa, where she resided until her passing. Enola was an active member of the Wiota community, which included volunteering to organize community activities, teaching aerobics in the community center in the 1980s, and belonging to the Wiota Campers Club.
Maynard was the true love of her life from the moment she met him at age fourteen. They were married for over sixty-three years and blessed with four children: Mark, Steven, Brian, and Laura. Enola was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker. In 1973, Maynard opened up the Tune-Up Inn, where Enola was the office assistant, bookkeeper, and part supply runner in her sporty turbo Volkswagen. Coffee time at ‘the shop’ always had Enola’s homemade cookies and treats. Enola was a member of the Brayton Lutheran Church in Brayton, Iowa. She had a strong lifelong faith and loved her family, her dog Precious, and her many friends, including the Exira Girls Saturday Breakfast Club and Knotty Ladies Sewing Club, and the Gap Creek Quilters. Enola’s greatest hobby was sewing, knitting, quilting, crocheting and hardanger embroidery. She had a passion for yoga and marked her 80th birthday with a headstand yoga pose. She enjoyed staying active by gardening and mowing her yard.
Mom was deeply loved by all of us and will be greatly missed but will be carry-on in our hearts.
Preceding her in death is her husband, Maynard; parents Clare and Eunice Heath; sisters Doris Squires and Margery Heath; grandparents WR and Amy Covault; father-in-law and mother-in-law Wilbert and Eva Hansen and sister-in-law Margaret Parmley Sontag.
Survivors include her children Mark and wife Marlene Hansen of Wiota, Steven and Sandy Hansen of Atlantic, Brian and Kari Hansen of Anita, Laura Hansen of Clive; grandchildren Brittany and husband Nick Gilbert of Omaha, Nebraska, Chris Hansen of Wiota, Danielle and husband Ryan Rosenmeyer of Anthem, Arizona, Johnny and wife Abbey Lukehart of Huxley, Rachel and Andy Harrelson of Panora, Misty Conner of Des Moines, Rachel and husband Jake Kohler of Pleasant Hill, Kolby Hansen and wife Tianna of Wiota; nineteen great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; her sister Janet Clark and husband Duane of Guthrie Center, brother-in-law Larry Hansen and wife Linda; nieces, nephews other relatives and many friends.
Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at the Brayton Lutheran Church in Brayton, IA, with Pastor Loren Christensen officiating the service. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery west of Brayton, IA. A luncheon will be held following the committal service in the fellowship hall of the Brayton Lutheran Church.
Open visitation with family will be held on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, IA.
Funeral arrangements are handled by the Kessler Funeral Home of Exira, IA.
