Ellen Hart

April 10, 1917 — March 2, 2017

Living her life to the fullest, Ellen Andersen Hart departed this world just 39 days shy of her 100th birthday. Ellen was born April 10, 1917 in Saeby, Denmark to Christian and Christina Jensen Andersen. Shortly after her mother died, Ellen, at age 4, was brought over in a boat to Ellis Island, NY. Her Uncle Chris Thomsen then brought her to live with him on his farm in Newell, IA until she was in third grade. At that time, Ellen moved to Spencer, IA where she lived with her Aunt Johanna Dahlsgaard and two cousins, Corinne and Alice, until she graduated from High School in 1933. After graduation she attended the University of Nebraska for one year and then enlisted in the WAVES after the outbreak of WWII. She lived in Minneapolis, MN most of her adult life where she later worked as a tour guide taking people on trips around the world. At age 71, she married Frank Hart, moved to Spencer, IA, and readily and lovingly embraced the Hart children as her own. She took so much pride in her inherited family. She put on lovely tea parties for her great-granddaughters, spoiled them whenever she could, and loved weekly family dinners and holiday gatherings. She will always be remembered as a generous, loving wife, stepmother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Ellen, fastidious in appearance, had a strong, vivacious personality and a zest for life. She enjoyed people and they enjoyed her. Ellen loved going to casinos, a good drink, chocolates, bridge, and travel. She was a member of the First Congregational Church and Questers, Romanzo A. Coates where she served as a past president. Ellen will be greatly missed by her family: Step-children Anne (Jon) Cleghorn of Dakota Dunes, SD/Tucson, AZ; Doug (Sandy) Hart of Spencer, IA; Meredith (Dick) Vetter of Charlotte, NC; Ben (Mary) Hart of Chicago, IL; Grandchildren Jen (Tom) Searcy - Zach, Cathryn, Harper; Chris (Holly) Cleghorn - Lydia and Alaina; Angie (Brian) Fassbender - Sophia, Isabella, Emma; Adam Hart; Elizabeth Vetter; Drew (Julie) Vetter - Levi and Ellie; Gretchen (Marc) Scavo - Mateo and Clara; JoeVetter; Mike Hart, and Maggie Hart. Also special cousins Tom (Jan) Snyder of Sanborn and Susie (Brian) Johnson of Minneapolis. Ellen was predeceased by her husband, Frank Hart, in 2004. A celebration of Ellen's life will be held for family and friends this spring or early summer.

SERVICES

Memorial Services will be held at a later date at First Congregational Church in Spencer.

OFFICIATING

Rev. Tom and Wendy VanTassell

CASKET BEARERS

VISITATION

MUSIC

"How Great Thou Art" "You Raise Me Up"

INTERMENT

Riverside Cemetery Spencer, Iowa

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