Sister Mary Ann ND 5226 PDF Download
Mary Ann HANSON
Immaculate Conception Province, USA
Date of Birth: March 22, 1938 Bishop, California
First Profession: August 16, 1958 Los Angeles, California
Date of Death: October 21, 2026 Thousand Oaks, California
Date of Burial: November 14, 2026 Assumption Cemetery, Simi, California
Sister Mary Ann was the eldest daughter of fourteen children born to Clayton and Irene Hanson. She often recounted, “My sister was to be a nun and I was to be a mother, but God had other plans.” Yet in many ways, she was always a second mother to her siblings, who fondly called her “Mama Bear.” Throughout her religious life, Mary Ann kept in close contact with her family, praying for them, remembering special occasions, and giving sisterly counsel. She, in turn, experienced their love, support, and presence in her life.
Growing up in Watts, California, Sister Mary Ann attended St. Lawrence Elementary School and met the Sisters of Notre Dame. She became an aspirant and graduated from Notre Dame Academy in Los Angeles. Her growing desire to serve God and others enabled her to leave her large, loving family and become a religious. Learning from her own mother, she developed practical domestic and cooking skills. For 24 years, she was the main cook and kitchen manager at the provincial house in Thousand Oaks, where she also mentored novices in cooking and baking skills with patience and humor. Regarding domestic service, she said, “My policy has always been that if I can make the other sisters happy, then they’ll be better in their ministry.”
Later in various local convents, besides managing the kitchen and preparing meals, Sister Mary Ann served as a teacher’s aide, prepared children for first Holy Communion, and ministered for more than 6 years as a certified Camarillo Hospice Visitor. In 2003, Sister came to Notre Dame Center in Thousand Oaks and generously offered many support services, including helping in the kitchen, serving as the preschool receptionist, and driving for the sisters. Besides reading, going to the movies with friends, and writing cards, Sister Mary Ann was known for her needlework, making beautiful gifts for her family and friends.
She loved to travel. Besides the congregational pilgrimage, Sister was grateful for trips to Palm Springs, the Alaskan cruise, and most especially her visit to her birthplace, Bishop, California.
In her last years, Sister Mary Ann embraced the ministry of Prayer and Presence. She was always interested in others and took prayer intentions seriously, promising to pray for others, especially through her devotion to Mary and the Rosary. Sister also had a special love for the souls in purgatory and kept memorial cards of our deceased sisters nearby. She prayed to the deceased and for them with childlike confidence.
At the beginning of January 2025, Sister Mary Ann experienced a fall which left her unable to walk. She moved from Notre Dame Center to nearby Mary Health of the Sick Convalescent Hospital. Confined to a wheelchair, she nevertheless graciously welcomed visitors, and talked with and prayed for staff members, knowing them by name. In the last week of her life, she sensed the end and expressed gratitude to family, sisters, and friends who came to her side. Her longing was always to get out of the wheelchair, walk again and return home to Notre Dame Center. Once again, “God had other plans.” And when God said, “Come, now,” she was ready to get up and truly go Home to an even bigger Family reunion.
