Anita Lee Hansen was a loving and dedicated Daughter, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and Friend and is now watching over her family and friends from Heaven. Anita was born on May 15, 1946, in Deadwood, SD to LeRoy and Venitta Marta and grew up in Lead, SD. She was baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal faith in Lead, SD. She graduated from Lead High School in 1964 and attended the University of Northern Colorado.

In Junior High School Anita met the love of her life, husband Donald George Hansen and they were married on July 2, 1966. They first moved to Minneapolis, MN and then to Denver, CO where they lived for many years. They were blessed with two loving sons, Christopher and Marcus. Anita passed away May 21, 2026, in Sturgis, SD with Chris and Marc by her side. She was 80 years old.

Anita was so proud of her Italian heritage. She shared so many stories about her large extended family, the challenges and triumphs of the homesteading families, visiting the ranch in the St. Onge area as a child, and the history of Lead and Deadwood. Mom loved growing up in Lead and the adventures she had with her friends. She often spoke of spending days going from friend to friend’s houses, raiding gardens, a crazy bike ride from Lead to Sturgis, and a prank on the Deadwood Cannon they planned for three years. Mom also talked about how in high school, it was a big deal for a Lead girl to be dating (and eventually marrying) a Deadwood boy, but as anyone who knew her, mom didn’t much care what the other people thought.

Anita used her degree and gift for gab for a sales career with AT&T that took her all over the country and allowed the little girl from Lead to make some wonderful friends and have so many amazing experiences. It was her reputation at AT&T that allowed her to get Chris an internship that ultimately led to his career with AT&T.

Anita had many loves in her life with her family being the first. She loved dad and the way he always cared for her through thick and thin. She loved watching Chris and Marc compete in sports and that love continued with her grandsons Jake and Nick. Mom cherished living on McGovern Hill and was especially proud of the home Dad and she built which is an amazing legacy and will be a place for generations of Hansens to come and be “home”. It was on the Hill that mom found comfort and peace after dad passed and where Marc loved and cared for her just like dad would have wanted.

Mom enjoyed keeping in touch with her family and friends. She cherished her trips down to the Deadwood casinos where she would be excited if the crew she was with brought home more than the $20 they started with. If they didn’t come home winners she didn’t care because they got to talk about the old times, laugh, and eat “free” hot dogs.

The family always laughed because with the advent of texting, mom appropriated her own use of the trending acronyms and slang, and her use of an emoji was always interesting. Most importantly, somewhere along the way she came up with her signature GMaH sign off that defined how she will always be known by her family.

Anita is survived by her son Marc, son Chris, daughter-in-law Kelly, grandson Jake married to Katy, and grandson Nick married to Anna. Anita was preceded in Death by Don in January 2022.

A Memorial Service for Anita will be on Saturday, August 15th at The Little Dane Church in St. Onge, SD with reception to follow. For Memorial Service and Reception details please call or text Chris Hansen at (714) 861-9937. In lieu of flowers a Memorial has been set up in Anita’s name for The Little Dane Church.

Memorial (please note Anita Hansen Memorial):

Check made out to and mailed to Marc Hansen, 308 McGovern Hill Deadwood, SD 57732

or

Venmo Users can use Chris’ account – @Chris-Hansen-258