Wanda Hill Hansen

The spirit of Wanda Hill Hansen, born Aug. 24, 1921, left her earthly body on Friday, June 12, 2009, to join her husband, Tub, for eternal life in heaven. She passed surrounded by the love of her family and in the wonderful care of Victor and Tina Armijo and their precious family at Just Like Home Elder Care in Pasco, Wash.

Wanda was one of six girls and four boys born to Reuben and Emma Fann Hill in a former boarding house in Ferdinand, Idaho, where living was hard and the winters even more so. The story of our family began when Wanda met Tub at a barn dance when she was 9 years old, and she carried the spark for him from that time forward. Tub was from the cattle ranching Hansen family near Neppel, now Moses Lake, and he encouraged the Hill family to leave the tough Idaho winters for the green grasses and abundant waters of the Columbia Basin. The Hill family sent their older sons ahead with the herd, and the family packed up their horse drawn sleigh and left Idaho during a fierce snowstorm deep enough that the sleigh slid across the top of the fences as they moved on to better times.

At 16, Wanda and Tub sneaked off to Wallace, Idaho, to be married at the courthouse on Nov. 21, 1937, unbeknownst to their families. They came home and lived separately with their families for over a month until, by a quirky twist of fate, the marriage listing from the Coeur d’Alene newspaper was sent as a joke to Wanda’s parents who then learned of Wanda’s marriage to the rodeo cowboy 10 years her senior. Needless to say, both families were most unhappy about the circumstances, and the young newlyweds were relegated to living in the chicken coop lean-to behind Tub’s family home. There they lived for two years in the coop too small to stand up in, a single bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Wanda was in the 9th grade at the time, and the first day she went to school after the news of the marriage was out, she found her schoolbooks neatly stacked outside the classroom door. Married women were not allowed to attend school.

Two years and six months later the couple’s first son, Jerry, was born and Wanda brought the baby home to the coop, which Tub had lovingly patched with mud to hold in the heat. Another son, Tom, was born two years later. When the boys were still young, Tub purchased the old Mae, Wash., schoolhouse he and his dad and brothers had been contracted to move from Mae to Moses Lake. After a mile or two the schoolhouse couldn’t be moved between the power poles, so Tub had it set off the roadway, planted trees around it and carried water in buckets every day to water them, and the old schoolhouse became the family home. Penny and Kay joined the family, and the schoolhouse became the center of activity to extended family and friends until 1971, when Tub ran successfully for the Washington State Legislature.

Wanda’s life changed dramatically at that time from ranch wife to legislative wife, and she made the transition against her wishes but with grace and dignity. She became his consultant, his secretary, his eyes and ears in the gallery and together they made the best decisions they could for the good of the people of the 13th Legislative District. They partnered on the 19 years of Tub’s service in the House and Senate, and upon Tub’s death in 1991, Wanda was appointed by then Governor Booth Gardner to serve out the last year of his unfinished term. With the same grace and dignity that brought her to Olympia 20 years earlier, Wanda chose to return to Moses Lake to be close the family and friends who had been so faithful to her through the years.

Wanda was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers, Louis, Victor, and Harold Hill, and one sister, Delia Lynn. She is survived by brothers Harry Hill of Spokane, Reuben Hill of Moses Lake and Maynard Hill of Ellensburg; and two sisters, Marie Bault of Spokane and Veda Parks of Yakima; and by her children, Jerry and Mara Hansen of Graham, Wash., Tom and Callie Hansen of Phoenix, Ariz., Kay and Steve Dean of Pasco, and Penny Morgan, also of Pasco, Wash.; and a whole slew of 13 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren, all of whom love their precious Gommy dearly. We love you so, Precious Sister, Mom, Gommy and Friend, and we celebrate your reunion with your beloved Tubby. Dance, laugh, sing and be happy forever more.

Services will be held at Kayser’s Chapel of Memories in Moses Lake at 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 17, 2009, with graveside services to follow. Wanda’s friends in the community are invited to join the family at the Moses Lake Golf and Country Club at 4 p.m. on that day for sharing memories of the dear woman who so many will remember for her dignity, compassion, love and grace.

Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel & Crematory, Moses Lake.

Viewing will take place at the funeral home on Tuesday, June 16, from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. You may sign the guest book or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com.