Gwendolyne Amelia Hansen (Hagg)

Gwendolyne Amelia Hansen (Hagg), Gwen, 83 of Forest Lake, Minnesota, passed away April 19th, 2020, of complications due to heart failure. She is preceded in death by her husband' Mark. Survived by her children, Jeffrey Hansen of Fairport, NY, Joel (Susan) Hansen of Lindstrom, MN, and Jessica (David) Carr of Maple Grove, MN; grandchildren, Kellisa, Josh and Britta (Jeffrey) and Ethan and Jack (Joel); sister-in-laws Janet Gilbertson of Austin, MN and Marie Hagg of Frankfurt, KY; many nieces and nephews, their spouses, children, great and great-great nieces and nephews all of whom made life fantastic, Gwen loved each and everyone of them. Born in Dell Rapids, South Dakota on April 12, 1937 to Hilding and Esther Hagg she was the last surviving sibling following Violet, Joyce, JoAnne, Dallas, Doyle and Mercedes. Gwen survived Rheumatic Fever in her early years and would have a heart condition throughout her life because of it; she claimed her three years in bed led to her love of reading. She never let her heart condition slow her down, stop her from learning or serving others. During many doctor visits for cardiac issues, doctors would have their students listen in to Gwen’s perfect heart murmur. The doctors would ask if it was alright and Gwen would say, ‘best way to educate with a real live example.’ Valedictorian of her graduating High School Class she earned her degree at the University of South Dakota State in Vermillion where she met Mark Hansen. It could be noted that they both attended a Lutheran National Youth Gathering in California, prior to college over the same summer, although they say they did not meet. Her degree in General Education allowed her to teach K-12 any subject. Married on August 15, 1959, she followed Mark on his completion of his ROTC requirements helping start GED programs at the army bases they would be stationed at. Upon honorable discharge, Mark accepted a position in Forest Lake, Minnesota as a high school art teacher. Without the guidance and a phone call from his sister, Gwendolyn Johnson (Bob) of Forest Lake, post Army service would not have brought Mark and Gwen to Forest Lake. Astonishingly, Gwen Johnson passed away not hours before Gwen Hansen in what has shocked both Johnsons and Hansens alike. Gwen began teaching in the Forest Lake Area Schools in 1965 teaching whatever needed to be taught, History, Math and Biology were among her first full time classrooms. Eventually becoming the head of the Science Department in the High School and teaching mostly Chemistry until retirement in 1997. Sharing her passion for lifelong learning and advocating for students who may need a non-traditional approach to teaching and learning she began the local GED program in 1968 which she would continue participating and teaching with until after her retirement. In 1968, she and Mark continued their education in Arizona at ASU both earning Master Degrees in Education. Instrumental in the fight for women's rights in the work place, Gwen was part of the class action suit which would bring about the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 which would lead to the Minnesota Parental Leave Act of 1987. As grievance chair person for the local teachers' union Gwen was often responsible for confronting discrimination within the work place. She definitely knew what the word ‘Balderdash’ meant. Throughout all of her years teaching in the public sector she and Mark taught Sunday School, Confirmation Classes and led many Bible studies sharing her faith while helping others of all ages grow in their faith at Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake. A member of the 2011 inaugural class of the Forest Lake Area Schools District Hall of Fame , Gwen will be remembered as a teacher, mentor and visionary in her roles on the Instructional Improvement Council, Educational Growth and Development Council and serving on the Community Scholarship Foundation. Upon retirement both Gwen and Mark worked diligently with the St. Paul Area Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to help create educational opportunities for teacher development in Tanzania. In 1998, they visited the school in Tanzania and shared instructional best practices with teachers. The columbarium and Memorial Prayer Garden at Faith Lutheran Church, where she will be inurned with her husband was the last project they worked on together. Late January 2020, Gwen came down with the seasonal flu, she struggled to recuperate and her murmuring heart had difficulty recovering fully. Over the past three months she progressively dealt with greater and greater vascular dementia. The family would like to thank the staff at Cherrywood Pointe in Forest Lake, where she has been living the last few years, The Meadows of Fairview in Wyoming which helped her transition last summer and this winter, Birchwood Long Term Care in Forest Lake and Fairview Home Care and Hospice. The care Gwen has received has been outstanding and loving; all the caregivers have our gratitude and praise. The family welcomes memorials to Cherish All Children, which is an effort to end human trafficking and the last issue Gwen took up with intent to solve, Forest Lake Community Scholarship Foundation or Faith Lutheran Church. A Celebration of Gwen's Life 11 AM Friday, May 20th with visitation one hour prior at Faith Lutheran Church, 886 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake. The service recording is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLxHxEj8R1s ‘When Science says it’s safe to gather again.’ Gwendolyne A. Hansen.