Mary Lucinda Munk Hansen

Mary Lucinda Munk Hansen was born in Amalga, Utah on July 15, 1931 and passed away peacefully on February 21, 2019 in Rexburg, Idaho. She was 87 years old. Lucinda was the daughter of Harvey Leo and Eva Valate Kirkbride Munk. She was the youngest of their four children—Dale, LoRee, Aileen and Lucinda. She attended Smithfield Summit Elementary, Smithfield Junior High and North Cache High School.
Our mother, Lucinda, always loved the out-of-doors and as a child spent her young days living in Amalga riding horses around the “factory line”, climbing trees, roller skating, swimming in the canal, playing paper dolls, ice skating on the sloughs, hoeing beets and tromping hay. She had a favorite tree that had her “plane” in it. During World War II, she nailed old, wooden chair legs on the limbs of the tree and pretended that they were machine guns. She said, “I’m sure I helped us win the war!!” And, much to her delight, when she was in her late 70s, she had the opportunity to go for a wonderful ride in a bright yellow, open cockpit, World War II biplane! And, indeed, we did win the war! In Amalga, she loved to help her dad by going down to retrieve the cows in the river bottoms. At dusk, the neighborhood kids would get together to play “kick-the-can”. Winters were also enjoyable, as they would tie the sleigh onto the horse and get pulled all over the back roads. Mother was talented in tumbling and dance, and especially loved tap dancing. As an adult, she organized and taught many tap classes to enthusiastic students—three of those were her daughters. She was also an accomplished singer and was selected to sing various solos in her youth. She passed down her fondness for singing to her children, as she spent hours teaching them to sing together and create harmonies. Just recently, she sang through three verses of “Que Sera Sera” and didn’t miss a word.
At age 12, due to her father’s poor health, the family farm was sold, and she moved to Smithfield with her parents. Her father passed away when she was 16 years old. Her mother worked at JC Penney in Logan, and Lucinda worked there in the summers in the stock room. Later, mother recalls, “I lived in the old Second Ward in Smithfield and was quite busy with church activities. I went out with a few boys in the ward, but one, in particular, caught my eye.” So, in 1948, Lucinda married Willard Alton Hansen, Jr. in Salt Lake City, and they were later sealed in the Ogden Temple. They were married for 42 years. Together they raised five children, Patricia Cathy, Debra Lou, Mary Jo, Nancy Kaye and Dwight Alton. They began their marriage living in Smithfield, Utah. While there, and in addition to dad’s full time school and work, mother and dad always ran a farm together, of which mother was an integral part of its success. She spent many hours milking cows, driving tractor and truck, hauling hay and feeding cattle. And, mother always ran double-duty . . . when she wasn’t bailing hay behind the Allis D17, cultivating corn on the old 8N Ford or irrigating, she was preparing wonderful meals for the guys who helped haul the hay . . . she always had a juicy roast, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, fresh garden tomatoes, as well as a cake for dessert!
Mother enjoyed people, and she loved to travel—always taking full advantage of learning all that she could, as she and dad moved from place to place through their marriage. They lived in Smithfield, Utah; Star, Idaho; Ogden, Utah; Salt Lake City, Utah; Woods Cross, Utah; Arlington, Virginia; Trenton, Utah and Sunnyvale, California. Mother also lived in Logan, Utah, St. Anthony, Idaho and Rexburg, Idaho. She so enjoyed attending her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events—she REALLY got into the games! Wonderful memories were created with her family members together in England, Scotland, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii, as well as many other fun trips across the United States—especially enjoying the yearly camping trips to Grand Teton National Park where so many family members enjoyed time together in the beautiful outdoors. She even led a dog sled team on the Kenai Peninsula. Most recently, mother enjoyed trips to Yellowstone National Park, Rzr riding off-road and through the streets of Rexburg, riding in a horse-drawn buggy as a VIP in the St. Anthony Pioneer Day Parade waving to the crowd throughout, raising both hands on a roller coaster ride and paddling a kayak on Egin Lake—she was quite the lady—never satisfied sitting on the sidelines!
Lucinda was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and enjoyed various capacities of church service—as Ward and Stake sports director, primary teacher, chorister, Relief Society secretary and Ward activities director. She cherished the time she spent serving two full-time missions—first in the England London South Mission, and then in the Florida Orlando Temple Mission. She also served in the Oakland California Temple as a volunteer.
At age 79, Lucinda boarded a small plane that ascended to 12,000 feet. The plane door then slid open and with a big smile on her face, she leapt out in a tandem skydive! She didn’t give it a moment’s hesitation. When her feet hit the ground, the first thing she said was, “I want overs!” This level of desire for adventure exemplified her personality. Her motto was . . . “If the car door is open, I’m getting in!” Mother lived a full and happy life and will be dearly missed by her family. Her happy, adventurous, out-going personality and sheer love-of-life is a treasured legacy for her posterity. We are so thankful for her life! We love and miss you mother.
Lucinda is survived by her five children and their spouses, Patricia Cathy and Bob Whiteley, Cascade, Idaho; Debby and John Erickson, Wellsville, Utah; Mary Jo and Doug Gray, Tetonia, Idaho; Nancy and Les Lane, Rexburg, Idaho and Alton and Lisa Hansen, Rexburg, Idaho. She is also survived by her dear sister LoRee Downs of Smithfield, Utah, 21 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Eva Munk, her husband Willard A. Hansen, her brother and his wife, Dale and Evelyn Munk, her brother-in-law, Glen Downs and her sister and her husband, Aileen and Orlando Preece.
A viewing will take place on Thursday evening, February 28, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson Funeral Home, 85 South Main in Smithfield, Utah and again on Friday morning, March 1, 2019 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Smithfield First Ward building, 175 South 100 West in Smithfield, Utah. A funeral will then follow under the direction of Kreg Love in the Smithfield First Ward building from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Interment will be in the Smithfield City Cemetery, 300 East Center in Smithfield.
The family wishes to thank Homestead Assisted Living of Rexburg, Idaho and their wonderful staff for supporting our mother in living the final years of her life actively and with dignity. We wish to thank, as well, the generous service of the Smithfield First Ward.