Minerva M. Hancock

1919 - 2014

Minerva M. Hancock, 95, a resident of the Knox County Nursing Home, formerly of Galva, died at 5:05 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2014, at the home.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29 at the first United Methodist Church in Galva. The Rev. Ann Champion will officiate. Visitation will be held from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28 at Rux Funeral Home in Galva. Burial will be in Galva Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Preachers Aid Society through the First United Methodist Church.
She was born May 25, 1919, in Bishop Hill, the daughter of Wilhelm G. and Julia F. (Anderson) Lindbom. She married Lester W. Hanson on Dec. 8, 1937 in Burlington, Iowa, and he preceded her in death on Sept. 7, 1978. She then married James W. Hancock in Galva on April 12, 1980, and he preceded her in death on Sept. 20, 2012.
Survivors include a son, L. Arnold (Doris) Hanson of Galva; a daughter, Diane M. (John) Conner of Galesburg; six grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her parents, a daughter, Carol J. Hanson, four brothers and a sister.
Minerva was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Galva and its United Methodist Women and the Married Folks' Class. She was also a member of the Henry County Farm Bureau, Bishop Hill VASA Lodge and the first female Master of the Galva Grange.
She was a farmer's wife for over 40 years and a minister's wife for 32 years. To assist her children in furthering their education beyond high school, she had worked off the farm at local businesses in Galva, including, Al's Dairy, Coast to Coast and Pearson's Brothers. She enjoyed square dancing, playing cards, wintering in Florida, embroidering, gardening, volunteering for church activities, especially the annual making of chocolate Easter eggs. As long as she was able she loved hosting big family dinners, filling Christmas stockings for every family and the annual Easter egg hunt. Family and its heritage were very important to her. She had actually lived in the Bishop Hill Steeple Building as a child with her parents and siblings. She loved to share many of those memories with family. She took great pride in her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and all their accomplishments. It's OK? OK! This obituary may be viewed and private condolences left at www.ruxfuneralhome.com.

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