Sandra Kay Sellers Hanson, 81, of Brooklyn, New York, died on August 8, 2022.
A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at Ewing
Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion. Burial will be in Evergreen
Cemetery.
Sandra Kay Sellers was born January 6, 1941, in Austin MN to Alvina (Tesdahl)
Sellers and Lewllien (LW) Sellers. Her family moved to Iowa and she attended a
one room country school. Her brother, James, was born in 1945. When she was nine
the family moved to Wall Lake Township. She attended Clarion High School,
graduating with the class of 1959. She was involved in the county 4-H and
enjoyed taking projects to the Wright County Fair.
Following graduation, she attended Luther College in Decorah, where she served
on the Student Activities committee and as president of Delta and Alpha Delta
Societies. She obtained her Master's Degree from the University of Wisconsin and
later earned her Doctorate from New York University (NYU).
While in Wisconsin she met David Hanson and they married. They moved to the Los
Angeles area where they lived until he was drafted into the Army. The couple
moved to New York City where he worked distributing films to Army bases and she
began her career at LaGuardia Community College, teaching English. Upon his
discharge they found an apartment on Carroll St in Brooklyn. They later divorced
but Sandra stayed in the Carroll St. apartment the rest of her life because she
loved it and the community.
Her work was rewarding and she was highly respected by her colleagues. The
English Department elected her Chair for over 25 years. The college still
employs 39 professors that Sandra hired. She also served on many committees
through the City University of New York.
Sandra valued her family and friends. She returned to Clarion many summers,
visiting her parents, other family and friends. She was a source of love and
knowledge for her nephews, sharing generously of herself.
Sandra was a collector at heart and her apartment and office showcased her
interest in Elvis, dolls, John Deere and all things Iowa. She was a wonderful
blend of farm and city and she was a passionate New York Yankees fan, attending
many games.
She is survived by her brother, James, and his wife, Joan, of Phoenix AZ;
nephews Jason Sellers and wife, Mara, sons Derek and Dillon of Scottsdale AZ:;
Jay Sellers and wife, Wendy, daughter Tia and sons Pax and Ty, of Phoenix AZ,
and many cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alvina
and Lewllien Sellers.