Hope L. Gans

Hope Gans, loving wife of Colonel Harry L. Gans, celebrated her 94th birthday in good health and spirits. The following day she became ill, worsened, and quietly passed with her family close beside her.

Hope was born in Fullerton, California to Vernon and Monetta Everett and grew up in Southern California. She met Harry at a USO dance and they married in December 1942 just before he shipped to Europe. After the war, Harry remained in the Army and was posted in Ft. Jackson, SC in 1947 where son David was born; in Yokohama, Japan in 1949 where son Dennis was born; and in Alexandria, VA in 1960 where daughter Patricia was born. They had many other assignments where Hope and Harry made life-long friends in the military community.

Hope was an enthusiastic bowler, winning many trophies and awards. She was proud of being president of the Walter Reed Medical Center Women’s Club and the letter she received from Mamie Eisenhower for being her luncheon guest. In her later years she was an avid gardener, taking special interest of her yard, trees, flowers, and vegetables. Hope also ensured the neighborhood birds and squirrels were well fed, and she especially enjoyed watching her bird flock consume copious amounts of seed.

Following Harry’s retirement from the Army in 1973, he and Hope resided in Windcrest, TX for the next forty years taking an active role in their community and St. John Neuman Catholic Church.

Harry preceded Hope in death as did her parents, brother, David, and sister, Doris. She is survived by her sister, Verna; son David and his wife Joan, grandson Nicholas and his wife Holly, and Hope’s great grandchildren Cora and Henry; son Dennis and his wife Carol, grandson Erik; and daughter Patricia and her husband Paul, granddaughter Kayla and her husband Jake, and granddaughter Kendall.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. John Neumann Catholic Church at 11:30am on Monday, April 25, 2016, with internment at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery the next morning. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John Neuman Catholic Church or the Fisher House Foundation.

Condolences may be offered at www.sunsetfuneralhomesa.com.