CORTLAND, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Esther J. Hanson, 89 of Cortland, died Sunday, February 19 peacefully at her home with her family by her side.

She was born October 18, 1933 in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, to Alfred B. Contie and Mae I. (Hamilton) Contie.

Esther was married to John “Jack” A. Hanson on June 25, 1955.

In 1955, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from State Teachers College in Indiana, Pennsylvania where she was an alumnus of Alpha Sigma Alpha and also an alumnus of Alpha Omega Gama Honor Fraternity.

She went on to teach in public school systems in both Pennsylvania and New York. She moved to Warren in 1961 and later was a substitute teacher for 16 years at Western Reserve High School in Warren. After that she spent 20 years as a sales associate at Walmart in Cortland.

Esther loved her grandchildren and her cats.

She is survived by her son, Scott and daughter-in-law, Tina (Burger), of Cortland; two grandsons, Aaron (Kaitlyn) of Cortland and Nathan (Emily) of Howland and three great-grandsons, Jacob, Dennis and Wyatt.

Her husband preceded her in death in 1996 along with a brother, Alfred “Sonny” Contie of Cranberry, Pennsylvania and a sister, Frida Laero of Apollo, Pennsylvania.

She will be buried in Champion Township Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Carl W. Hall Funeral Home.

A television tribute will air Wednesday, February 22 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.