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Lois Virginia Wood Hansel was born on July 26, 1927 and left this world on January 10, 2017 at the age of 89.
She was born in New Brighton, Pennsylvania and grew up in Parkersburg, West Virginia. With her family, consisting of father, mother, and younger brother and sister, she lived through the Depression and World War II. These experiences shaped Lois to be the strong, determined, resilient person she was. Lois often reminisced that they were poor but they didn't lack for food, as her dad had a good job at the viscoe plant and her mother knew how to stretch a dollar. Lois graduated from nursing school at Camden Clark Memorial Hospital in 1948.
On September 1, 1950, in a wedding dress made by her sister, Lois married Earl Eugene (Ike) Hansel of Belpre, Ohio. Together, they embarked on a life of travel that took them all over the country and later on, out of the country. Ike was a geophysicist for Conoco and later Phillips Petroleum. His job took them from Ohio to Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota and Wyoming before settling in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. During these years of travel, Lois and Ike, in spite of the gypsy-like moving, successfully raised three kids to adulthood, putting all three through college.
Lois was a full-time homemaker throughout the child raising years. Later, in Bartlesville, when the kids were in junior high, Lois returned to nursing. She worked at Jane Phillips Memorial Hospital in Bartlesville and was promoted to Supervisor of the Intensive Care Unit, in the later 1970's. In 1982, Ike's career sent the couple to Calgary, Canada. Next they lived a year in Singapore, followed by a time in Denver, Colorado. When Ike retired, they returned to Bartlesville, living on their farm, until Ike passed away in 2007.
As a homemaker, Lois was known for her cooking, especially her pies and baking, and craft projects. Later on, the grandchildren clamored for Grandma's biscuits and gravy.
In the years after the kids left home and she and Ike had returned from their world travels, Lois spent some time volunteering at various organizations. She was partial to the Salvation Army. She used her nursing skills volunteering at the Washington County Free Clinic. She became active in Weight Watchers, after losing down to her goal weight, And she maintained that goal weight for the rest of her life.
Throughout Lois and Ike's travels, they made and maintained friendships all over the United States, and the world. By their life, they demonstrated to their kids that you can make friends where ever you go and that there are wonderful people everywhere.
About a year after Ike died, Lois sold the ranch and moved to Oklahoma City to be closer to her kids and grandkids. In OKC, she established a vibrant active life. She joined the Village Christian Church where she found a new church family. She enrolled in various classes of interest, even computers!. She continued to travel back to West Virginia to see her family. She had a group of movie buddies in the ladies that she met in the church and the various classes that she took. She loved to make baby receiving blankets for newborn babies of friends and church members. She made a home where ever she was and was loved by her community.
Lois was preceded in death by her husband Ike, and her immediate family, all of Parkersburg, West Virginia: father, John Wood Sr., mother Etta Wood, brother, John Wood, Jr.; and sister, Patricia Blizzard. In addition, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Berkeley Elliott Challis.
She is survived by her son, Steven Hansel and wife Sherry, of Denton, Texas; her daughter, Elizabeth Challis and husband, Michael Challis of Oklahoma City; and son, Mark Hansel and wife Dianna, of Midwest City. Grandchildren include Samuel Challis, Claire Challis Boyd and her husband Chris Boyd, Nathaniel Hansel and Adrienne Hansel. Great grandchildren include granddaughter Lucy Jo Boyd, age two and soon to be born grandson, Bennet Boyd.
A celebration of Lois's life will be held on Thursday, January 19 at 2:00 pm, at the Village Christian Church, 9401 Ridgeview Drive, Oklahoma City
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