Gloria Jean Hansen

La Grange, California - Gloria Jean Hansen was born in Merced, California on October 17, 1940, and passed away at the age of 82 on September 27, 2023. Gloria spent most of her life in Merced with her husband of 64 years, Danny Hansen. They were married on her 19th birthday in the Catholic Church in Merced in 1959.

Gloria taught second grade at Fremont Elementary School in Merced and loved her career. When she retired, she and Dan moved to a home they built above Lake Don Pedro. Gloria called it "Paradise". Gloria had a passion for gardening and could have opened a nursery with the number of plants she grew. When she traveled, she would often bring home a clipping of a plant she wanted to grow in her garden. The plants would always flourish with her "green thumb". Gloria also had a passion for cooking and made the best meat sauce, gnocchi, pasta and so many other great dishes. Yes, she was Italian through and through. Gloria always said, "Cooking is Love" and she loved cooking for her family and friends.

Gloria cherished her friendships and remained close to her long-term friends back in Merced and made many others in her time living at Lake Don Pedro.

Gloria loved her family and was a terrific wife to Dan. She took great care of them, loved them and fed them well. "Food is Love" was another favorite saying of hers. She was a loving mother and grandmother and very proud of her son Brian, her daughter Cathie and her three grandchildren Kayla, Jared and Dylan.

Gloria is survived by her husband Dan, son Brian (wife Kristina) daughter Cathie (husband Joe Bernardi), grandsons Jared and Dylan and her beloved dog Giovanni which she said meant "a gift from god".

In lieu of flowers, if you would like, please donate in Gloria's name to The American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or to the Kayla Bernardi Bee Positive Foundation P.O. Box 307, Turlock, CA 95381, www.beepositivefoundation.org.

A Rosary and Funeral Service for Gloria will be held at Stratford Evans Funeral Home in Merced on October 16th starting at 10:30 am.

We all loved Gloria very much and will miss her dearly. So in her honor please pour yourself a glass of wine, put an ice cube in it (Gloria style) and lift your glass in celebration of her life and the love she shared with everyone!

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stratfordevansfunerals.com for the Hansen family.