Steven Hansen

Steven LeRoy Hansen, 70, of Berryton, KS, passed away peacefully at home on January 21st, 2026, after a valiant battle with peritoneal cancer. When told he had only a few months to live, Steve said “no thanks” and spent the next nine years traveling the world while spending time with loved ones.

He was born on August 29th, 1955, in Minden, NE, to parents LeRoy and Vergie Hansen. He grew up on the family farm with his younger sister, Lana, where he was just as comfortable breaking a sweat on the combine as he was fishing and riding motorcycles with friends, or pulling the occasional prank on his little sister.

While attending Minden High School, Steve demonstrated he wasn’t just a mischievous nerd – he was a fast nerd too. He broke several cross-country records representing the Whippets at state championships before graduating in 1973.

His hijinks followed him to the University of Nebraska, where he met Cheri, a fellow Husker who would become his wife. Steve had already snagged an invitation to the prestigious nerd floor, Harper 8, in his dormitory, where he spent the next four years among fellow mischievous knowledge lovers. At no point did he build an illegal distillery in his dorm room; any rumors of well-thought-out pranks with perfect execution are categorically denied. In 1977, Steve graduated with a degree in math with minors in both English and science.

Steve and Cheri married on May 27th, 1978, and had two children, Carla and Erik. They resided in Lincoln, NE, before relocating to Topeka, KS.

He taught mathematics at both the Nebraska State Penitentiary and Arnold High School (NE), then Garnett High School and Forbes Juvenile Detention Center in Kansas. As a computer programmer, he worked at Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln, NE; in Kansas he worked at various positions in Information Technology (IT) at the FHLBank and the State Department on Aging and Disability Services. Soft of heart and sharp of mind, he loved using his skills to solve problems and improve other people's understanding of the world around them.

A man of faith, Steve was raised in the Fredericksburg Lutheran Church in Minden, NE, and later became a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in both NE and KS, wherein he served a number of roles: Sunday school teacher, youth group leader, moderator, elder, and deacon. He treasured the many life-long friendships he built with fellow worshippers.

Steve’s curiosity often manifested in travel. He has taken his family to almost all of the 50 U.S. states, as well as international destinations. Once the pesky kids were out of the house, he and Cheri were able to travel as a couple and checked off 37 countries from their to-do list.

Steve enjoyed collecting rocks, T-shirts, albums, and more rocks. Fossils and petrified wood were of particular interest to him, but any rock viewed on a casual stroll was fair game for inspection and possible pocketing. He was an avid photographer; he annoyed his wife by shooting 36 rolls of film during their honeymoon in Yellowstone. Years later, he further irritated his children by making them sit through the slideshow of hundreds of pictures of rocks from said trip.

Steve took his terminal diagnosis in stride. He cared for his family, optimistically made travel plans, visited his friends, and made a habit of wearing Hawaiian shirts to his chemotherapy appointments. His complaints were few, despite the grim outlook, yet his love was plentiful to all those around him.

Steve was preceded in death by parents LeRoy Edwin and Vergie Lee (Thompson) Hansen. Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Cheryl Elizabeth (Jensen), his children Carla Janelle (David Crawford) and Erik Steven (Katelyn Cook), his sister Lana Lee (Patrick Hegarty), his cousin Linda Kay (Ken Wendling), and beloved nieces, nephews, and friends.

A visitation will be held at First Christian Church in Topeka, KS, on January 29th from 6 to 8 PM. Funeral services will be held at First Christian Church on January 30th at 11 AM. The family requests no flowers due to allergies; donations may be made to KTWU or First Christian Church in Steve’s honor.

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