Virginia Mae Hanson

January 14, 1935 - December 29, 2017

Virginia Mae was born on January 14, 1935 to Leslie and Ruby (Staltnow) Gutschow at Mills, Nebraska in Keya Paha County. Virginia was the second of seven children. As a child the family lived in many communities and went to school in Mills, North Platte, Lexington, and Arapahoe. She got her GED at Lexington in 2003. As a teenager she worked as a waitress and dishwasher in Lexington and Cozad. She met Jim Osborn in Lexington, and were married at Chandler, Oklahoma in 1952. To this union were born three sons, Jimmy, Donald, and Jay. Jim worked in the Oil Fields so they moved their family to several different states. She always said she went from the gulf to the Canadian border and back again. From the Mississippi River to the Rockies and back. In 1970 she met Edward Hanson and was married in Callaway, Nebraska in 1971. In September 1971 they moved to Madrid, Nebraska and farmed until the winter of 1987 when Ed’s health began to fail. They won a trip to Hawaii, from a drawing in 1984. They then moved to Grant where she worked at Perkin’s County Hospital and Nursing Home. In 2003 she began working at the Green Apple Café, then in 2005 she worked at ALCO as a cashier until her retirement. Virginia was a lifelong member of the American Legion Auxiliary and VFW Auxiliary. Those left to cherish her memory are her four sons; Jimmy L. Osborn of Newton, KS, Donald D. (Michelle Morganslash) Osborn of Grand Island, Jay (Bert) Osborn of Great Bend, KS, Thomas (Janet) Hanson of Layton, UT; two granddaughters; Katie (Osborn) John Walker of Grand Island and Libby Hanson of Layton, UT; three grandsons; Anthony (Kelsie) Osborn of Minden, Jay V. (Roberta) Osborn of Newton, KS, and Kevin Osborn of Hesston, KS; and great grandchildren; three sisters and husbands; Verna (Ken) Moritz of Cozad, Janice (Rex) Strickland of Lexington, and Donna (Ervin) Smock of Cozad; one brother; Donald D. (Nilda) Grutschow of Elwood; two step-sisters; Beverly (Cecil) Wempen of Overton and Ruby Schultz; one step-brother; Robert Rutledge of Florida; nieces and nephews; Roxan (Chuck) Wobbema, Ronda (Myron) Hanquist, Steven Story, Gloria (Mike) Harmon, Gordon (Deb) Strickland, Greg Strickland, Donna Strickland, Anette (Aaron) Aakre, John (Kim) Smock, Leslie Gutschow, John Gutschow, Ruby Gutschow; Sister-in-laws; Ann (Sam) Pederson, Irene Jarrett, Minny Hanson, brother-in-law; Robert (Dorothy) Hanson, and many other nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; Edward, her parents; brother; Clayton Gutschow, sister; Janette Andre; grandparents; Herman and Stella Stoltnow; grandfather; Fred Gutschow; stepfather; Clifford Rutledge; step-brother and sister; Dawyan Rutledge and Janet Rutledge; nephew; Jay Story; brothers-in-law; Bernell Story and Keneth Moritz.