Carol Marie Hanson AustinCarol Marie Hanson Austin, beloved friend, mother, grandmother and aunt, died peacefully at Jones-Harrison community in Minneapolis on August 11. She was 98. Carol was born on February 19, 1919 to Sophia Thompson Hanson and Adolph A. Hanson at their home in Hills, Minnesota. She was the youngest of three children. Her father was the publisher of the Hills Crescent newspaper and her mother was a homemaker. Carol grew up during the Great Depression, yet enjoyed a very happy childhood with many close friends. She graduated from Hills High School in 1937 and pursued her love of nursing at Sioux Valley Hospital School of Nursing. Carol's student years were among the happiest of her life. After graduating in 1941, she took nursing jobs in New Ulm, Minnesota, and Madison, Wisconsin. Carol met Charles "Chuck" Austin—the love of her life and son of Sioux Valley Hospital superintendent Rev. Casper M. "Cap" Austin—on her first day of nurse's training. Chuck offered to carry her books and Carol said no! But a long-term courtship soon developed and five years later they were married at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills on November 28, 1943. Chuck shipped out to the South Pacific 10 days after their wedding and served as a naval communications officer for two years. During the war, Carol worked at Sioux Valley Hospital as a pediatric nursing supervisor. With the arrival of her children, she was an active homemaker and community volunteer for the Sioux Valley Hospital Nurses Alumni Association, Lutheran Social Services and Our Savior's Lutheran Church. She and Chuck were strong supporters of many Sioux Falls cultural and social service organizations. They also enjoyed very close ties with their siblings, nieces and nephews, and loved to travel. Carol and Chuck raised three children, Margaret, John and Jane. They lost John to cancer in 2002. Carol cared for Chuck until his death in 2010 at age 91. At age 94, she moved to Minneapolis and began a wonderful new chapter of her life at Jones-Harrison, where she developed deep new friendships with residents and staff. Mourning her loss and thankful for her loving and generous spirit are her daughters Margaret Austin (and Keith Harger) of Sitka, Alaska and Jane Austin (and Mary Lowe) of Minneapolis; grandson David Austin of Sioux Falls; 17 beloved nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren; and countless dear friends, both old and new.The family will host a visitation on Wednesday, August 16 from 6-8 pm at Miller Funeral Home, Main Ave. A committal will be held Thursday, August 17 at 9:30 am at Woodlawn Cemetery, followed by a celebration of her life at 11 am at the Our Savior's Lutheran Church chapel. A lunch will follow. The family requests memorials to the Charles & Carol Austin Endowment for Chaplaincy Services at Sanford Health Foundation, P.O. Box 5039, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5039.