Janice "Jan" Marie Hanson

Janice “Jan” Marie (Kiefer) Hanson, age 90, of Manitowish Waters passed away on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at Howard Young Medical Center after a brief illness. She was born April 1, 1932 at Wausau Memorial Hospital to her parents who preceded her in death, Sue (Plisch) and Harold Kiefer.

She also was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph (February 28, 2019). They were married on October 12, 1957 at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Wausau.

Jan grew up in Wausau, graduating from Wausau High School and working at Wausau Memorial Hospital as a nurse’s aide while attending school. She then went to Wausau St. Mary’s Hospital to become a registered x-ray technician. She worked at Sacred Heart Hospital in Tomahawk and Stahmer Clinic in Wausau. She then moved into Ralph’s family’s business, Hanson’s Hardware, where she worked for 31 years. “I went from bones to bolts,” Jan was fond of saying.

She is survived by sons Craig (Nancy) and Jim of Manitowish Waters; grandchildren Jesse (Alyssa) and Danielle (Hans Peterson) and great grandchildren Aida, Memphis and Novalee Hanson, and Noah, Bryson and Kinsley Peterson.

The family wants to say a special thank you to Shelly Sleight.

A memorial gathering will be held from 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday, March 25 at Nimsgern Funeral Home Chapel in Woodruff, with a reception following at Rustic Roadhaus in Manitowish Waters.

In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to the Manitowish Waters Sno Skeeters Snowmobile Club or the Koller Library.