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Stephanie Ray Hanson Obituary

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Stephanie Ray Hanson

Estherville, IA

April 5, 1981 - June 21, 2018

Stephanie Ray Hanson Obituary

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials.

Stephanie Ray (Reighard) Hanson, the daughter of Steven L. and Sandi Leigh (Patterson) Reighard, was born April 5, 1981, at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She passed away Thursday, June 21, 2018, at Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg, Iowa, at the age of 37.

Steph received some of her early elementary education in Clear Lake, Iowa. At the age of seven, the family moved to Estherville where she continued her education and graduated from Estherville Lincoln Central High School in 2000. Following graduation from high school, she attended Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, where she graduated with an Associate of Arts Degree. She then enrolled in Buena Vista University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Later she took classes from Graceland University graduating with her Master’s Degree. Currently, she was working on her Doctorate Degree through North Central University. Steph had great passion and a quest for higher education and continual learning,

Besides living in Estherville, Steph made her home in Gruver and Graettinger where she was a devoted mother and raised her family. She was the ultimate "Momma Bear," no one dare come between her and her babies. Steph loved children and teaching. She began her teaching career in the Estherville Lincoln Central School District, where she taught elementary and high school levels as well as special needs children. Later she taught in the Graettinger-Terril School District, again teaching at the elementary and high school levels and special needs children. Steph was currently serving as an Assistant Professor of Education Studies: K-12 and Secondary Programs at Minnesota State University-Mankato. She will be remembered and will leave an everlasting legacy as an educator and mentor for many of her past students. In her leisure time she was an avid sports fan, especially the Iowa Hawkeyes. She loved the game of softball: whether playing, coaching, or watching her children play. Steph never knew a stranger; she always found the good in everyone and often put others before herself. She was very social, outgoing and enjoyed spending time with friends. Her greatest pleasure in life was spending time with her beloved family. She had great love for her nieces and nephews and that love was returned two-fold.

Steph and her kids attended Bethel Lutheran Church in Graettinger.

Left to cherish her everlasting memory are her three children, Kyah Marie Brant, Alexandrea "Ally" Nikole Hanson and Khloe Isabel Hanson all of Graettinger; her mom and dad, Sandi and Steve Reighard of Spirit Lake, Iowa; paternal grandma, Eleanor Reighard of Estherville; paternal grandpa, Jim Sandberg of Emily, Minnesota; siblings, Steven L. Reighard Jr. and his wife, Kari, Amy Holmgren, Tracy Richard, Jacob Longman, Autume Haar, Ashley Haar, Lacey Longman and Ronnie Laidig. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and "Uncle Bob" Burgess of Estherville.

To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Stephanie Ray Hanson hosted by Henry-Olson Funeral Home and Crematory.

Events

Event information can be found on the Official Obituary of Stephanie Ray Hanson.