Louise Hansen

Louise Ostler Hansen, our loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend passed away peacefully from pneumonia on Friday, October 20, 2017, after being removed from life support in the ICU of Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah.

She was born on June 11, 1921, in Ogden, Utah, to Steven L. Ostler and Margaret Pearl Baker Ostler. Louise, their firstborn child, grew up on a ranch in Mountain Green, Utah, where she enjoyed riding horses and helping her mother in the house with the task of raising five younger siblings. She loved her mother dearly, giving her as much help and comfort as she could after an ugly divorce forced Margaret Pearl Baker to become a single mom on a large ranch with six children to rear. Louise was only 21 years old when her mother died on May 18, 1943. Heartbroken, Louise remained a stalwart supporter and defender of her mother all her life.

According to her son, Brad, "Mom's favorite memory from church as a child: About 8 children from her church who were 8 years old were baptized in the Weber River in June. A few days before, Mom got sick. So, she had to wait until the next June to be baptized when she was nine years old. After she was baptized, while still wet, she was confirmed on the banks of the Weber River."

She played first chair clarinet in the famed Morgan High School band under the baton of J. L. Terry, who told Louise's younger sister, Marjorie, years later, "I hope you can play like your sister." "Mr. Terry," Marjorie fondly recalls, "reminded me every so often that Louise was his first chair clarinetist when Morgan High won first place in the state band contests for several years."

Her grandfather Ostler helped her financially to attend Utah State University where in May of 1940, she met her future husband, Charles Merlin Hansen, who was from Garland. A friend introduced Louise to Charles, who told her, "I am coming to your house and I'm going to take you to a movie." Later that day, Charles showed up and took her to a movie. Charles was smitten with her and pursued her, asking her several times to marry him. He visited her a few times at the ranch and met Louise's mother, who told Louise that she liked Charles. On the third proposal of marriage, Louise accepted.

Unfortunately, World War II exploded and interrupted Louise's and Charles's educations but not their courtship. He joined the Marine Corps and she took a job at Hill Field, doing secretarial work. For awhile before she died, Margaret Pearl Baker carpooled with Louise down Weber canyon to work at Hill Field. When Charles returned on leave, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on Dec. 19, 1944, and eventually she went to live in Santa Barbara with him.

After the War, they returned to the "AC" where Chuck continued his studies, living in the "Prefabs" when their son, Reed, was born. After graduation, they moved to Midvale and Louise eventually encouraged her husband to seek a Master's Degree at the University of Utah, typing his thesis on a typewriter with the requisite carbon copies. They had two additional sons, Greg and Brad.

Louise and Charles were faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), and they served in various church positions throughout their lives. They taught the principles of the gospel to their family through their examples and encouraged them to follow the Lord's teachings. They never wavered in their testimonies and they sacrificed greatly to send their sons, Greg and Brad, on church missions.

Louise was a devoted wife and mother, who was always there to support her husband, children and grandchildren. She was a curious person who ultimately became bored with being a stay-at-home mom, and when Reed was in college, she took a job at one time working in an office and also continuing education classes at the University of Utah another time. She sought after all that is fine and beautiful, subscribing to Utah Symphony season tickets, providing piano lessons for Greg and Brad, growing beautiful roses and landscaping her home, becoming for a time a Madame Alexander doll collector, and arranging artistic displays in her home.

After Charles retired, they traveled extensively to places like France, Russia, Egypt, China, Israel, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, etc., particularly enjoying traveling with the "People to People" organization. They really enjoyed spending time with their family, playing games with their grandchildren, and learning new things such as studying French. Always bold, frugal, and persistent, Louise was a confident seeker after truth. She exemplified and often repeated her mother's teaching: "Anything worth doing is worth doing well."

She was devastated when Charles died suddenly on Mar. 16, 1999, of a heart attack. Although she resolutely continued to live in her own home until 2011, the joy of life was somewhat reduced. After she was found collapsed on the floor in her entrance hall in January of 2003, having suffered a stroke, she had to be admitted to a rehab facility for a few weeks before returning home. Her son, Greg, moved into her home later that year. That arrangement seemed to work until medical problems forced her in 2011 to go to Canyon Creek Assisted Living in Cottonwood Heights. During the final years, she was always cooperative and meek, but still could occasionally show flashes of stubbornness. Her friends and the staff at Canyon Creek all remember her smile and friendly personality.

She is survived by her sons, Charles Reed (Kay), Gregory Lee, and Bradley Newell (Leisa); grandchildren David, Krystal, Matthew, and Emily; great grandchildren Dakota and Rylee; brothers, Lynn and Newell Ostler; sister, Marjorie Winward. Preceded in death by her beloved husband, Charles Merlin Hansen; brothers, Stephen and Eugene Ostler.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, Oct. 27, 2017, at Noon, at Midvalley 7th Ward, 1211 E. 7800 S., Sandy, UT 84094. A viewing for friends and family will be on Thursday evening from 6-7:30 p.m. at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84106, and at the Ward (church) on Friday from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. prior to services. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84106.
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