Obituary of Erna Marie Hansen
Hansen, Erna Marie
Erna passed, at the age of 89, on Monday, June 22nd, 2026, at Lanark Lodge, Perth in the presence of family. She was born on April 22, 1937, in Denmark, to the late Ove Vilhelm Petersen and Anna (nee Christensen) Petersen. Erna was the beloved mother of Lars Hansen (late Yvonne) and Linda Fox (late Gary) (Delmar Schonauer), and the cherished grandmother of Heather (Dave), Will (Amanda), Kelsey (Steve), April (Thomas) and Lucas. She was the dear great-grandmother of Olivia, Mason, Logan and baby Jason.
Erna's life was one of resilience, hard work, and devotion to her family. Growing up in Denmark during the Second World War, she later began working at a bookbinding company, where she met the love of her life, Hans. They married in 1956 and immigrated to Canada that same year, settling first in Rockland, Ontario, where they built a new life together while learning English—Erna working as a chambermaid and Hans as a groundskeeper. After welcoming their children, Lars and Linda, Erna dedicated herself to raising her family before returning to the workforce at Love Printing in Ottawa. Following a brief adventure that saw the family travel west in hopes of purchasing a farm, they ultimately settled on a farm in the Perth area, where Hans worked at Central Wire. Never one to stop learning, Erna earned her Health Aide Certificate and spent many years providing compassionate care through organizations including the Red Cross and Lanark Lodge, touching countless lives. Later, as her health changed, she enjoyed working in retail before eventually retiring to Tay Gardens, where her warm spirit and love of people made her a cherished friend and neighbour. A devoted member of St. Paul's United Church in Perth for many years, Erna's greatest joy was always the time she spent with her family and friends, whose love enriched her life beyond measure.
A memorial service for Erna will be held at the Norm Ferrier Room – Lanark Lodge 115 Christie Lake Road on Saturday, July 18th, 2026 at 10:00am. A celebration of life will immediately follow the ceremony until 2:00pm. In honour of Erna, memorial contributions to Breast Cancer Canada or the Lanark Lodge Resident Activity Fund would be greatly appreciated. Arrangements are in the care of Blair & Son Funeral Home, Perth
