Janet C. Hanson

Janet C. Hanson, 89, of Norfolk, Nebraska passed away on Monday, February 12, 2024, at Edgewood Memory Care Center in Grand Island, Nebraska where she resided since November 7, 2023.
Janet Christine was born in Wildrose, North Dakota on September 26, 1934; to Peder and Lu Esther (Myhre) Knudsvig. Janet spent most of her younger life in Wildrose, attending the Wildrose Public School. Since the family lived about 4 miles east of Wildrose, she commented many times about walking to school along the railroad tracks. Likewise, the snowstorms created quite a challenge, requiring her to stay in town with friends and relatives until she was able to get back home.
Both Janet and her future husband, Verlin attended the public school and would later marry on October 8, 1951. They farmed and raised cattle in rural Wildrose until December of 1965, when the family moved to rural North Loup, Nebraska where Verlin worked on the Schudel Ranch, known for its registered Herefords. In 1966, the family moved into North Loup and Verlin ventured into self-employment with his painting and finishing business.
Janet spent her early married years as a housewife and mother, caring for the couples five children, with occasional stints as the presiding referee. She also worked at the Vodehnal Pharmacy in North Loup for several years. When Verlin accepted a position as a Deputy State Fire Marshal in 1974, they moved to Osmond, Nebraska and later settled in Norfolk, Nebraska. Janet always enjoyed working with the public and held numerous jobs at different businesses throughout her life. This included working at clothing stores and lastly as a hostess at a well-established eating establishment in Norfolk.
Janet lost her husband in 1990, but continued to reside in Norfolk and work part-time at a variety of businesses. Later in life, she decided it was time to retire and shifted her attention to attending sporting events, musicals and any other activity involving her children and/or grandchildren. Even as she aged, Janet, who was very independent and strong-willed was known for heading out for nighttime games or programs, making every effort to be present for her grandchildren's activities.
Probably one of Janet's most cherished accomplishments was preparing food and delicacies for the family. She would spend countless hours making Norwegian meatballs, lefse and lutefisk. In the summertime, the favorites were no-bake cookies and her famous lemon icebox dessert. She was an excellent cook/baker and no one turned down anything (except maybe the lutefisk). Obviously, Janet was a Norwegian through and through. She loved eating flatbread, krumkake, rosettes and rommegrot (a rich cream pudding or porridge), and other Norwegian treats. Baking homemade buns along with loaf bread and making homemade butter (had to milk the cows first) were some of her specialties in North Dakota, along with chokecherry syrup that was excellent on cream and bread.
Janet was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Norfolk and enjoyed attending for the food, music and dancing. One of her favorite pastimes was dancing to country western music, along with listening to some Elvis Presley songs from time-to-time. If she wasn't listening to music, she was reading newspapers. Janet loved receiving newspapers from the towns where her children lived to read about what her grandkids were doing and the activities of friends and former neighbors.
Survivors include her five children, Joey D. (Phyllis) of North Loup, Jerry D. (Jeanne) of Kearney, Vincent C. (Judy) of Amarillo, TX, Vern A. (Susan) of Bloomfield, and Vickie J. Burnett (Cliff) of Merna; 18 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great grandchildren; brother-in-law, Jerry Sorenson; brother and sister-in-law Dean and Lois Knudsvig; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins; and other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Peder and Lu Esther Knudsvig; husband, Verlin; parents-in-law, Henry and Medora Hanson; sister, Deanna Sorenson; and infant grandson, Riley Burnett.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2024; at the North Loup United Methodist Church in North Loup, Nebraska. Pastor Arsene Lumami will officiate. Burial will be in the Hillside Cemetery at North Loup.
Memorials are suggested to the Loup Valley Veterans Memorial Wall or the Family's Choice.