Merna Rita Hanson

Merna Rita (Sharp) Hanson, age 91, passed away on January 13, 2023 in Aberdeen Village.

Merna was born August 7, 1931 to Irvin Clarence Sharp and Caroline DeLetta (Dunwoodie) Sharp in Lafayette County, across the Missouri River from Camden, MO. At the age of 4 months, the family moved to a farm in Camden, MO. She attended Camden schools and graduated at age 17 from Camden High School as the class valedictorian. She went on to complete one year at Central Missouri State College.

She married Robert "Bob" Joseph Hanson from Lexington, Missouri on February 20, 1955. Merna worked for the credit department at Sears & Roebuck for 7 years, then later enjoyed working for over 15 years as a teacher for the Kids Day Out program in Olathe, KS. Merna also taught Religious Education for one year, as well as serving as a lay minister for the Catholic church.

Merna and Bob raised six children together; Timothy Joseph, Kirk Andrew, Sarah Louise, Eric Christopher, Lisa Caroline, and Karen Elizabeth. Bob and Merna celebrated their 50th anniversary on February 20, 2005 at Tan Tara with their family.

Surviving family include her children, Kirk ( Kim) Hanson, Sarah Louise Hanson and Lee Stickle, Eric Hanson, Lisa (Steven) Niner, and Karen Stricker, eight grandchildren; Shelby, Robert Joseph, Jakob, Alex, Sydney, Haley, Blaise, and Maxwell, and German foreign exchange daughter, Dorothee Stork, her sister, Marion Elliott and her brother, Stuart Sharp.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, Timothy Joseph, and her husband, Robert Joseph Hanson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Catholic Social Services or to The Good Samaritan Program at Aberdeen Village of Olathe, Kansas.


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