Elayne “Clipper” Hanson
Elayne “Clipper” Hanson passed into eternal life, Thursday, March 9, 2023, at Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital in Portage.
Elayne was born in Curran Valley near Taylor, to John and Effie Clipper, June 4, 1929. She was baptized and confirmed at Taylor Lutheran Church where she also married Artis C. Hanson, August 18, 1948. They were blessed to spend more than 64 years together and produced two wonderful children: Jonathan Karl “Butch” Hanson and JoEllen Joy Flees.
Elayne graduated salutatorian from Taylor High School, and later attended what was then Winona Business College, before working as a legal secretary for the Bogue and Sanderson Law Firm in Portage.
When both her children were old enough to go to school, Elayne went to work in the medical records department of Divine Savior Hospital. She returned to school and earned her certification as an ART, Accredited Records Technician, and later served as the Director of Medical Records and Quality Control at Divine Savior Hospital until her retirement in 1989. During that time, she taught medical terminology to ART candidates and served as President of the Wisconsin association for medical records professionals for several years.
Elayne was also a gifted singer and writer. Many times the comment has been made, “I don’t think anyone has sung at more weddings and funerals than Elayne Hanson.” She has been a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Choir since joining the church in 1952 and was one of the first voices to join the Gale Singers Community Choir.
As a writer, her poetry and prose have appeared in various national and regional publications, as well as anthologies published by the local “Writers at the Portage” group, to which she was a longtime member, and the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets. She self-published two books of her own: “So This is Me” and “The World According to Clipper”, and served for several years as the President of the Wisconsin Regional Writers Association.
Elayne is survived by her children: Jonathan (Maria) Hanson and JoEllen (Michael) Flees; her grandchildren: Michael Hanson, Nicholas Hanson, Joshua Flees and Jennifer (Dr. Paul) McCaughey; and her great-grandchildren: Kellen and Max McCaughey, and Lillea and Ivan Cluts.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Artis; her parents, John and Effie Clipper; her brother, Lawrence (Sylvina) Clipper; sisters: Evelyn (Charles) Letson, Helen (Olger) Berget, and Eileen (Morris) Casper; and granddaughter, Jami Cluts.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, W8267 Hwy. 33 E., Portage. Pastor Jamie Benson officiated. Visitation was held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at the church prior, to the service, with a lunch that followed.
Burial, with graveside services officiated by Pastor Natalie Leske, was conducted Tuesday, at 4:00 p.m., at Woodlawn Cemetery in Taylor. The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage, (www.pmmfh.com) is handling the arrangements.
Memorials may be given to the Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Taylor Lutheran Church.
Special thanks are extended to Drs. Ciske and Destree, and to the Aspirus Divine Savior Hospital staff for their excellent care of Elayne and her family.
