Lillian Maria Elsa Hand, daughter of Frank and Afra Halonen, was born June 24, 1926, in Hayti, S.D., and passed away May 16, 2019, at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
On Feb. 16, 1946, Lillian was married to Robert Franklin Hand of Linden, Iowa. Four children were born to this marriage.
They lived in several locations in Iowa until Robert’s death in 1982. Shortly after Robert’s death, Lillian moved to the family farm near Linden. Lillian was devoted to her family and treasured spending time with them.
She was a homemaker and teacher. Graduating from high school in Hayti in 1943, she went on to college at Eastern Normal in Madison, S.D. She taught in rural schools in South Dakota before her marriage.
She worked at Meredith Printing and the Overhead Door Co.
In 1968, she returned to college classes, graduating from Drake University in 1975. Lillian earned a master’s degree from Northwest Missouri State University in Kirksville, Mo.
She taught in Van Buren County and in Ottumwa, Iowa. She finished her teaching career with the Johnston Community Schools in 1992, where she won awards as a middle school learning disabilities specialist.
Lillian was a member of the St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Panora, Iowa.
She belonged to Delta Kappa Gamma Tau Chapter, PEO, Iowa State Teachers Association and Dallas County Area Retired School Personnel Association.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Robert; her sister, Helen Templin; and two brothers, Paul Halonen and Ozzie Halonen.
Surviving are her children, Robin (June) Hand of Linden; Patty Hand of Seattle, Wash., Martin (Rhonda) Hand of Mason City and Mary (Robert Jr.) Cerv of Alliance, Neb.
Lillian leaves seven grandchildren, Gina Hand (Jonathan) Langley, Aaron (Mindy), Kristina, Melissa and David Hand and Robert III and Andrew Cerv; and three great-grandchildren, Audrey and Abigail Hand and Julia Langley.
The Hand family would like to thank the Cedars Assisted Living in Madrid and Dr. Soren Kraemer of Mercy One.
Lillian loved to read. One of her happy places was the Perry Public Library. Memorials, in Lillian’s honor may be sent to the Perry Public Library, 1110 Willis Ave., Perry, IA 50220.
Memorial Services will be held Saturday, May 25 at 11 a.m. at the Carris Family Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 1721 Park St. in Perry. Burial will be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in rural Linden, IA. Online condolences may be sent at www.carrisfuneralhome.com.
