Emily (Hansen) Hancock, 88, of Mankato died Thursday morning, July 20, 2017, at Oaklawn Health Care Center.

A gathering of family and friends will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Northview-North Mankato Mortuary, 2060 Commerce Drive, North Mankato, MN 56003). A celebration of Emily’s life will begin at 7 p.m. at Northview, led by the Rev. Del Begalka. Graveside services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Minneopa Cemetery. Share a memory of Emily with her family and view her video online at www.mankatomortuary.com

Memorials are preferred to Mayo Health System Hospice Mankato, Alzheimer’s Association or to an organization of the donor’s choice.

Emily Mae was born Dec. 11, 1928, in Howard County, Iowa, to Frederick Christian and Elsie Mae (Reed) Hansen. As a family they later moved to a farm near LeRoy and she attended Oak Dale School District.

On Aug. 23, 1948, Emily married Richard Hancock. They lived in Mason City for a short time and then moved to LeRoy, where they raised their children Donald, Barbara, Larry and Kenneth. In 1968 they moved to Clarks Grove. Emily was a homemaker for her family; caregiver to her friend, Dorris; and worked part time in the fall, dressing chickens and packaging eggs. She enjoyed gardening, reading and bird watching.

Emily is survived by her children Donald (Joyce) Hancock of Mankato, Barbara Hancock of Waseca, Larry Hancock of Lake Crystal and Kenneth Hancock of Clarks Grove; grandchildren Corey (Kim) Hancock, Jason (Salesa) Hancock, Jodi (Jacob) Olson, Tira (Mark) Dobberstein, Mindy (Matthew) Alvord, Kelly (Jeremy) DeLaCruz and Megan Hancock; 12 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Russell (Lorraine) Hancock; sisters-in-law Darlene and Joan Hansen; and many nieces and nephews.

Emily was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard, in 2009; brothers Raymon, Robert and Luvern Hansen; and sister-in-law, Ruth Hansen.