Renil M. (Horner) Hansen

Renil M. Hansen, 93 of Devils Lake, ND passed away on Thursday, August 17, 2017 at Eventide Heartland Care Center, Devils Lake.  Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake, ND with the Very Reverend C.F. Wilhelm celebrating the Mass. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake, ND on Monday, August 21st from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. The Rosary will be led by the Catholic Daughters.  Visitation on Tuesday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral Mass.  Burial will be in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery. Renil was born on February 2, 1924 at Mandan, ND the daughter of Jacob and Theresa (Bleth) Horner. She attended grade school in Wing, ND and then Sacred Heart School in Glen Ullin, ND. The family moved to Pettibone, ND and she graduated from Pettibone High School.  In 1942 she went to Washington, DC and worked for the Department of the Navy and later to San Diego, CA for just a short time. She was homesick so in 1949, Renil moved back to her home town of Esmond, ND and was employed at the local bank. One day, Clifford Hansen walked into the Esmond Bank and as they say, “the rest is history”. Cliff and Renil were married in June of 1950 at Esmond. They established their home in Grand Forks from 1950 to 1960.  They lived, worked and started their family.  Being in a college town, Renil would often take in typing of Masters Theses for the graduate students.  They moved to Devils Lake in 1960 and would live, work and raise their family here the rest of their lives. Renil was a devoted wife and mother.  When the children were grown, she took a job at Mercy Hospital and soon the Administrative Assistant to Sr. Patrick, the Hospital Administrator.  In 1983 she took a leave of absence to care for Cliff after he suffered a stroke.  Cliff died on May 26, 1985.  Renil returned to Mercy Hospital as the Secretary of Nursing Services and retired in 1993.   Her typing skills may have brought her to Mercy Hospital, but her kindness and compassion were her greatest attributes.  After retirement, she was the “driver”, taking her dear friends and elderly persons to their physician appointments, both locally and in distant places.   Renil was never idle. She had many hobbies including tatting, Hardanger, sewing, gardening, and even a little side line work as a bookkeeper for Lake Asphalt.  She was an avid golfer, bowler and bridge player, enjoying these activities as often as she could.  She followed closely local and national sports of all kinds.  She knew the golfers, the basketball, baseball and football players and all of their names, positions and stats.  She was an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Altar Society and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.  She also enjoyed membership in the Rebekah’s, Shakespeare Club, Town and Country Club and local Bridge Clubs and bowling leagues.  She was named the Unsung Hero in March of 2007.  May the Angels lead you into Paradise. Renil is survived by her children Sandy (Steve) Hudson, Elizabeth, CO, Kathy (Dave) Holt, Rocky Ford, CO, Dave (Donna) Hansen, Grand Forks and Judy (Craig) Thornby, Crary, ND; 9 grandchildren Becky (Darin) Schauer, Raenell Holt; Christie (Kevin) Engelstad, Bill (Haihau) Hansen, Pat Hansen, Tom (Krystle) Hansen, Suzy (Nick) Brehm; Jiselle Thornby and Jack Thornby; 10 great grandchildren Wren, Alayna, Dongyu, Lucy, Catherine, Anastasia, Hadley, Charlee, Jeffery and Mia; sister Rosa Owens, Ohio and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Cliff; brothers Ed, Albert and Ted Horner and sister Margaret Marthe.