Justina Amelia Hanson

Memories of Amelia HansonJustina Amelia Hanson was born in Birmingham Alabama on April 30, 1932. She left this life in La Mesa, California on February 25, 2012, and (in the words of one of her granddaughters) danced into everlasting life with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Amelia leaves behind her brother, Royce Murray, and three children, Thomas David Hanson, Margaret Hanson Luevano, and Annie Hanson Jimenez. She also leaves behind eight grandchildren: Megan Danielle Hanson Hutson, Nicole Danae Hanson Linzey, Alicia Deanne Hanson, Jonathan David Hanson, Lauren Danielle Luevano, Walter Hanson Jimenez, Logan Benjamin Luevano, and Hannah Evalise Jimenez.Amelia grew up in Birmingham. Her mother, Justina Herd Murray was a homemaker and wife; her father, Royce Murray, was a self-taught engineer who worked for the power and light company. One of his inventions paid for Amelia's college education at Auburn University and Birmingham Southern College. While in school she worked as a phlebotomist in a local blood bank. Upon graduation from Birmingham Southern, with a major in Medical Technology and a minor in Piano Performance, she received a full-ride academic scholarship to Columbia University. At Columbia she earned a Bachelor's degree in Nursing. Also in New York, while attending Riverside Church, Amelia met the love of her life and husband of 35 years, David Hanson.On June 15, 1957, Amelia and Dave were married at Amelia's home church in Birmingham, and then moved to the Los Angeles area where Dave practiced law and Amelia worked as a nurse at Los Angeles Children's Hospital until days before her oldest child was born. She then became a full-time mother.Amelia and Dave attended South Hollywood Presbyterian Church, where they both accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. From that point forward, Amelia's life passion was sharing the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone, apart from any rituals or works. She was active at her church with Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, and with Child Evangelism Fellowship Good News Clubs. In April of 1969, Amelia and Dave went to Japan as missionaries. After two years of language school and ministry in Karuizawa, they worked in Niigata, helping with church planting and special outreaches.In March of 1972, they returned to the States, moving back to the Los Angeles area. She returned to work as a nurse at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Hospital, Whittier Presbyterian Hospital, and La Habra Hospital. She also worked as a clinical nursing instructor at Biola University. She loved to take care of people and is remembered for her sense of humor and graciousness in doing so.Of course Amelia also continued to minister through Child Evangelism Fellowship. She involved her family in 'Good News Clubs' and 'Five-Day Clubs' that she invited all the neighborhood kids to attend, and she took her own children to the mountains many summers to serve at Camp Good News.Amelia loved storytelling and reading. She appreciated the books of James Herriot and Erma Bombeck because of their amazing humor, and the books of Patricia M. St John because of their tender Gospel messages. She also loved studying the Word of God and participated in Bible Study Fellowship for many years. She was an avid lover of church hymns and an incredible memorizer of Scripture-recognizing the power of God's Word to change lives from the inside out.Throughout her life, Amelia had a gift for giving. She faithfully supported missionaries, financially and with prayer, and her home was always open for them to spend a night, a week, or a month. Many-a-time, missionaries on furlough would fill the house to the brim. Amelia leaves behind a long legacy of hospitality and loving service, all inspired by her deep love for the Lord Jesus and a desire to spread the good news of the salvation He freely provides to all who ask.