Dorothy was born November 20, 1924, to Jens Peter and Edith Jaeger Hansen, on the family farm northeast of Vermillion, SD.

She attended country school, Center Point District #56, in Clay County, for eight years. Her four years of high school were at the University High School in Vermillion, SD. She attended the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis for three years. Following that, she took the two years’ teachers’ training course at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. She then taught school in George, IA, for two years. Later, she taught school in Swisher, IA, for two years.

Dorothy met Robert Mandsager at Augustana College and they were married June 15, 1949, in her country church near her parental home. They lived in Iowa City while Robert finished and graduated from the University of Iowa Medical School. They lived one year in Flint, MI, and one year in Bismarck, ND, for Robert’s further medical training.

In 1954, they sailed on the Queen Elizabeth I to France for French language study in Paris, before going the next year to French Cameroun. Robert had been commissioned to serve there as a medical missionary. Dorothy served wherever needed, as she helped raise their family. Two of their boys were born in Cameroun. From 1954 to 1964, they were connected to this mission, with a one-year furlough in the middle of that time.

Back in the United States, the family lived in Iowa City, while Robert finished his surgery residency. In 1968, the family moved to Marshalltown, Iowa, where Robert joined a general surgery practice. Wherever the family lived, they found a Lutheran church. Dorothy was active in the church women’s work, Sunday school, and Vacation Bible School. In her most recent years, she joined the quilting group, where serviceable quilts are made and sent to Lutheran World Relief.

Dorothy was a member of the Marshall County Medial Auxiliary, and volunteered many years in the Marshalltown Hospital coffee shop. Also, for many years, Dorothy helped deliver Meals on Wheels.

Dorothy enjoyed needlework, and sewing for her daughter, including sewing her daughter’s wedding dress. She also spent considerable time making greeting cards and was well known for remembering family and friends on their birthdays and anniversaries.

In their later years, Dorothy and Robert spent several winters at Venture Out Park in Mesa, AZ.

Dorothy’s last years have been at Glenwood Place in Marshalltown, IA.

Preceding Dorothy in death are her husband, Robert, her parents, Jens and Edith Hansen, her brother, Harold and his wife, Olive, sisters Devona Swiggum and Jean Burgess, a grandson, Thaddeus, seven brothers-in-law, Charles and David Mandsager, Aaron Rogness, Harley Swiggum, Lyle Burgess, Herb Chilstrom, Ray Grinde, and Ron Pechauer, and two sisters-in-law, Sally Mandsager and Jan Grinde.

Living are her five children: Richard (Ruth), Conrad (Kathy), Neil (Kathryn), Ronald (Ruth) and Maran Bacon (Joel). One sister: Corinne Chilstrom and sisters-in-law: Mary Rogness, Kathy Mandsager, and Rachel Pechauer. Seventeen grandchildren: John Mandsager (Lilla), Rachel Cooper (Ryan), Paul Mandsager (Lauren Moldower), Nathan Mandsager (Pam), Alison Mandsager, Meghan O’Callaghan (Sean), Grant Mandsager (Gillian Burgess), Kyle Mandsager (Ann Gage), Madison (Rocky Cowan), Harrison Mandsager (Alexandra), Jessie McDaniel (Douglas), Benjamin Mandsager (Karla Dobbs), Lara Brewer (Tyler), Greta Rojas (Ian), Jonah, Anya, and Micah Bacon. Twenty four great-grandchildren: Ruth, Marcus, Astrid, Lincoln, Zach (Courtney), Grayce, Lillian, Finnegan, Sydney, Ryder, Milo, Lucy, Kate, Wells, Tyler, Alexis, Theodore, Bella, Rory, Juliette, Brianna, Jaiden, Landon, Lyla and Lillian. One great-great-grandchild: Stella.

Memorials may be given to ChildVoice, 202 Kent Place, Newmarket, NH 03857 or to Missionary Aviation Fellowship, P.O. Box 47, Nampa, ID 83653.