Donna Hanson

March 16, 1945 – Feb. 2, 2026

Donna was born to Emil and Hannah (Domke) Schultz at the family farm on Wolf Creek Road. She attended Alpena Community College after graduating from Alpena High School in 1962 and was employed in secretarial work at Dow and the City of Detroit. In 1965, she married Ivan Hanson and started a family, returning in 1972 to his hometown of Spruce in Alcona County to build their home. After working for Huron Portland Cement (now Holcim) for many years she returned to ACC for two more degrees then took up executive secretary positions at Ford, GM, and elsewhere before retiring.

Donna loved gardening and cooking recipes from many cultures. She played piano, sang in choirs, raised Pomeranians, made ceramics, whitewater rafting in West Virginia, and cross-country skiing at Norway Ridge Pathway. At age 48 she began scuba diving with the Ford Sea Lancers Dive Club performing over 215 dives in the US, Ontario, and multiple ocean islands. She authored the book Remembering Fred about Fred Kauer, a colorful relative from her childhood in the German community of Wolf Creek, and helped organize Domke, Schultz, and Hanson family reunions.

With Ivan she toured Germany in 1990 with the Alpena German Class. After his unexpected death in 1995 she visited several Canadian cities and spent two months in Guaymas, Mexico with missionaries. In 2006, she attended the Cursillo in the U.P. then immediately left for Florida to help rebuild after Hurricane Andrew. Her last trip was to Greece where she enjoyed its culture and Christian heritage.

As a devoted Christian she attended St. Paul Lutheran Church, Spruce Lutheran Church, New Life Lutheran Church, and Hope Lutheran Church at various stages of her life, helping with Sunday schools, rummage sales, and festivals including the New Year’s Eve polka dances at St. Matthews.

Tragedy struck when leukemia was detected in March of 2025 during routine lab tests prior to a joint replacement. The next ten months were filled with many hospital trips for tests, treatments, and over a hundred blood transfusions. In the end it wasn’t enough.

Donna is survived by son Jeffrey, daughters Angela (DJ) Torsch and Cheryl (Dale) Banks, grandchildren Chris (April) Lopo, Selena Lopo, Lily and Sebastion Banks, Lauren (Justin) Peake, Dalton Torsch, and great-granddaughter Bailey, sisters Jean Kaarto, Marlene Irwin, Carol Convery, Bonnie (Ed) LaFleur, many nieces and nephews, and friend Helmut Jagst.

Memorial visitation and service will be at Hope Lutheran Church in Hubbard Lake on Saturday, Feb. 14, starting at 10 a.m. with a luncheon thereafter. Memorials for the St. Paul Lutheran or Hope Lutheran youth groups.

To help other leukemia patients the family requests donating blood through the American Red Cross or Versiti Blood Health.