Alta was born March 4, 1922, in the Rowan, Iowa, rural home of her parents, Raymond and Agnes Hansen. She attended the Rowan Consolidated Schools (grades 1-12) and graduated valedictorian of the 1939 Class. She attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, IA, where she earned the two-year certificate for teaching. Alta taught in Dinsdale, IA, and Manly, IA.

She married Herman Bollhoefer on June 11, 1944, and lived on a farm southwest of Haverhill for 60 years, together raising three daughters: Donna and twins, Janice and Jean. She continued her professional education and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Upper Elementary Education in 1959 from Drake University in Des Moines. She taught 6th and 7th grades in Van Cleve and 6th grade at Woodbury Elementary, was a librarian and teacher in Central Junior High and Miller Middle School, was an Adjunct Faculty Member at Marshalltown Community College for five years, then substituted in elementary schools in Marshalltown, Laurel and Ferguson.

Alta was a long-time member of the rural Haverhill United Church of Christ, where she was church pianist/organist, Sunday School Teacher and served as President of the Board, then as Treasurer for many years.

In 1990, she joined the First United Church of Christ in Marshalltown and continued to serve as pianist/organist. She created and directed the Haverhill United Church of Christ Cowbell Ringers for 20 years with the help of faithful cowbell ringers. For ten years she served as Treasurer of the State Conference Board of Directors for the United Church of Christ, Des Moines. For over 20 years she served as a Precinct Official at elections in Haverhill, Laurel, Ferguson and Marshalltown.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 68 years Herman; her parents; brother Howard Hansen and his wife Adela (Schmidt), of Rowan; and three sisters: Darlene Madison, of Minneapolis, MN, Marion Robson, of Davenport, and her husband Dean Robson, of Clarion, IA, and Edith Pottet, of Minneapolis.

She will be remembered by her daughters: Donna (Phillip) Walker, The Villages, FL; Janice (Jeff) Howes, Haley, ID; Jean (Michael) LaVeile, Phoenix, AZ; sister Roberta (Jack) Freese, Nixa, MO, and many relatives and friends.

Memorials may be made to the First United Church of Christ, P.O. Box 424, Marshalltown, IA 50158; to the Advanced Horizons, a Scholarship at the Marshalltown Community College created by Herman and Alta for students interested in a career in teaching or agriculture; or directed to the family for later designation.

The Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of Alta and her family. www.mitchellfh.com or 641-844-1234. Cremation rites have been accorded.

– Lovingly written by the family