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Delores (Dee) Jean Hansen, 89, of Cashton, WI, passed away peacefully on October 22, 2021, at Mary Crest, Morrow Home. She was born in West Salem, the youngest of five children born to Reinhart (Reinie) and Esther (Niebuhr) Pagel. Being a child during the depression years meant moving around a lot to where the opportunities were for earning a living, mainly in farming and taverns. They spent time living in Chaseburg, LaCrosse, Brinkman Ridge near Coon Valley, Cashton, and Norwalk. Reinie owned various taverns in the area, including Peck's Corner and The Place in Norwalk. Delores graduated from Cashton High School in 1950 and continued to work for her dad helping out at the bar as she had been doing after school and weekends growing up. This is where she met the love of her life, Jerry. They were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cashton on November 14, 1953. Jerry & Dee enjoyed 54 years together until his passing in 2007.

Delores was an energetic mom to five kids, spending time managing and caring for the house, gardening, and preserving, cooking, baking, and sewing for herself and her young family. Delores admitted that the years of having three babies in diapers, warranting using a garbage can for a diaper pail, were the happiest! She excelled in all areas and attributes her homemaking skills to the great teaching and mentoring of her mother-in-law, Marie Hansen, who conveniently lived across the street. As the kids started school, she added child and after school care for the Zitzmann family to her expertise, almost doubling the number of kids in the house! In later years, Delores worked at Parkview Lanes part time. When her youngest started school, in 1969, she worked full time at The Badger Store until 1996, then started her retirement. At the grocery, besides the usual grocery tasks, Dee was in charge of preparing grab 'n go lunches for the locals. She would prepare large quantities using only an electric fry pan, and a Nesco roaster. Dee was a multi-tasker before it was even a thing. She loved working with the public and shared many stories of her working years. In her retirement years, nearly every grandchild was a recipient of the many varieties of bars she would prepare for their graduations or wedding events! Delores also loved walking, exercising every single day. Even with a walker. She was an avid reader, getting very good use out of her Kindle! She was open to having a computer mostly to see the Facebook updates and the grocery store ads! Dee was a great role model and dearly loved by her family and many friends.

Delores is survived by her five children: Linda (Don) Erbs of Tomah, Sharon (Ron) Burns of Racine, Kathy (Leigh) Running of Rockland, Bob (Dawn) Hansen of Spring Grove MN, and Patti (Andy) Robarge of Holcombe. Grandchildren: Ryan (Amanda) Betcher of Tomah, Seth (Clarissa) Erbs of Sparta, Sean (Valerie) Behling of Waterford, Dustin (Brenda) Behling of Racine, Chris (Amanda) Running of La Crosse, Ben Running of Eau Claire, Erik (Kristen) Running of ­­­­­Trempealeau, Morgan (Trevor) Fuller of Allouez, Nicole (Malachi) Hansen of Davenport IA, Megan (Nick) Reichel of Madison, Hannah (Travis) Robarge-Houle of Madison. Delores has 14 great grandchildren. She is further survived by sisters-in-law Ruth Dolan of La Crosse, Judy Riggins of Stevens Point, Jeanne Goody of La Crosse, and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Delores was preceded in death by husband Jerry, as well as her parents, siblings, Geneva, Lyle, Helen & Shirley, and also brothers and sisters in law.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cashton WI, Friday, November 5, 2021, 10:30 a.m. Family and friends are invited for visitation from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Father Michael Klos will officiate. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family wishes to thank The Morrow Home, especially the Staff at Parkview and Mary Crest where she spent her last years, the Gundersen Hospice caregivers, and also Sparta Area Cancer Support volunteers.

The Torkelson Funeral Home of Cashton, WI, is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be offered at http://www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.