Martha “Marty” Jean (Reed) Hansen, 95, of Gettysburg, passed away early Monday morning, February 2, 2026, at the Gettysburg Hospital, with family by her side. She was a caring and loving person, a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.
Born June 12, 1930, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late Jacob H. and C. Martha (Wahrmann) Reed and was raised by her stepmother, Majorie A. (Newhart) Reed. The family moved to Harrisburg, PA where her father would open Reed’s Bakery. She graduated from John Harris High School in Harrisburg and then followed her dream of being a nurse by attending the Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia, graduating as a registered nurse in 1952. She worked as a nurse in Philadelphia for a year, then traveled to California to serve in hospitals in Los Angeles for three years.
Following her faith, she became a missionary for the Lutheran Church and left for Malaysia in 1956. She operated medical clinics for remote villages in the mountainous highlands of Malaysia, being the only care available to the villagers. In her free time, she would accompany girls from the villages on day trips to recreation areas for relaxation time, as travel for the villagers was restricted due to civil strife occurring in the country at the time.
In 1957, she met the love of her life, the late Roland E. Hansen, a fellow missionary, when he arrived by boat in Singapore. They would be married in 1960 in Harrisburg and enjoyed over 63 years of marriage until his death in 2024.
They returned to mission work in Hong Kong for eight years, where Roland supervised the construction of a church and school. They then returned to Malaysia in 1968 with their four children and served until their return to the United States in 1972. Settling in Gettysburg, she worked as a nurse for Dr. Raymond Sheely before finishing out her career at the Gettysburg Family Practice for many years.
Marty was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, volunteering in many positions at the church for the past fifty-three years, as well as cooking for the Gettysburg Soup Kitchen. She was an avid baker, loved entertaining friends and family, and always had her home delightfully decorated for the seasons. She enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and never missed her daily crossword puzzle. She was a member of the Friday Afternoon Literary Club, which she enjoyed greatly.
She is survived by her four children, Mark Hansen and his wife Donna of Landisville, PA, Andrew Hansen and his wife Sherri of Gettysburg, Joanna Ravaris and her husband John of Delafield, WI, and Jonathan Hansen and his wife Christina of Gettysburg; her five grandchildren, Hannah Ravaris, Elsa Ravaris, Liam Hansen, Jacob Hansen, and Katherine Hansen; a sister-in-law, Ruth Hansen of Lincoln, NE; as well as a number of nieces, nephews, and cousins. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Doris A. Renn and Robert R. Reed.
Her family would like to thank the staff at SpiriTrust Lutheran Village for the kindness they provided for Marty, and the nurses, doctors, and staff at the Gettysburg Hospital for the compassion and excellent care that they gave Marty and her family in her final days. A private interment will be held at the Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg.
A memorial service for Marty will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Christ Lutheran Church, 30 Chambersburg St., Gettysburg, with the Rev. Jennifer Taylor officiating. A luncheon will follow immediately at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Hansen Fund for Global Mission Support c/o Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, 30 Chambersburg Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325.
The Monahan Funeral Home is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Online condolences may be made at monahanfuneralhome.com
Andy…I am so sorry for the loss of your mother. Keep your memories close to your heart