– Marie Hanson, at Aase Haugen
Meet Marie Hanson, one of the happiest people on earth!
She was raised on a farm near Spring Grove, MN,
in the little village of Wilmington. “I was a farm girl,” Marie recalls. “I graduated high school and worked in La Crosse and then married Harold “Link” Ellingson.” Together they had four children, Sharon, Susan, Randy and Renee. “I’m so proud of my kids and how hard they work and plan for the future,” says Marie with a twinkle of pride in her eye. “I moved to Aase Haugen to be closer to my children.” She also has 11 grandchildren.
Marie worked in a nursing home and the community schools for several years and after Harold passed from a heart attack, she married Chester Hanson. Marie traveled to every state in the union and at a recent class reunion one member asked, “What was your favorite place, Marie?” To which she answered, “All states were interesting, but you know it’s Minnesota! You can’t go back on your own home state!” Marie has a true positive outlook on life and finds happiness and humor in most everything. At 97-years-young, she says the secret to a long life is to do all things that make you happy. “Every time I see my grandchildren I say, “I love you, be good, and then you’ll be happy.” She adds, “I’m happy because I choose to be happy. I’m thankful for what I’ve had and what I have today.”
Marie is an avid card player and says in her younger days she was very active in the church and with the children’s school activities. “I loved to dance and I was on the bowling team too,” she added.
Raised in a Norwegian home, she says some of her favorite foods are mashed potatoes and gravy and “lefse of course!” She says her favorite hymn is The Old Rugged Cross and her favorite Bible verse is The Apostles’ Creed. She doesn’t have a particular flower that is a favorite, but says she always liked red geraniums.
Marie says she likes it at Aase Haugen, “Everyone is so friendly here and even when some things about me are getting weaker and disappearing, my mouth still works and we can laugh together! I like laughter!”