Andrea Cathryn (Olsen) Hauge Bacon passed away peacefully on October 15, 2024 in Ripon WI. She was born May 7, 1932 in Crookston, Minnesota, to Elma (Thorson) Olsen and Oluf T. Olsen, the first of twins. Andrea, “Dede”, grew up in Climax, Minnesota, along with her identical twin sister, Evangeline, “Doddy”, and their brother Homer, born March 23, 1935.
The sisters attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, and graduated in 1954. Andrea taught Physical Education in MN before earning an M.S. degree at the University of Colorado, Boulder, in 1958. She married Vincent Hauge in 1958 and they moved to Nashville, TN where he studied at Vanderbilt University. The couple moved 13 times while he finished his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. Andrea taught P.E. at numerous high schools and colleges during this time, and they had two sons: Leif in 1962 and Soren in 1964.
They eventually settled in Houghton, MI where they raised their sons and Andrea taught at Suomi College (later Finlandia University) for 19 years. Vincent died in 1987. Andrea married Lloyal Bacon in 1991; he died in 2008.
Andrea was ever thankful for the steady, all-encompassing Christian faith of her grandparents – Lutheran pastors and missionaries in ND, WI, TX and China – and for her parents. Her father was school superintendent and town counselor of Climax, MN, and her mother the church organist. The family faithfully attended Sunday services, a commitment Andrea followed all her life.
Andrea was also thankful for the patient, skillful sports instruction she and her sister received from Paul Heist, a beloved early P.E. teacher, coach and mentor. She enjoyed her long career as a PE instructor at Suomi College, and took great satisfaction in starting a community fitness club at Paavo Nurmi Center. She loved welcoming Elder Hostel visitors to her Fitness for Everybody classes and sharing with her family and many students and friends her lifelong love of swimming, golf, canoeing, walking, and cross-country skiing. She won many local golf championships and took special pleasure in encouraging young women. She was thrilled when Title IX guaranteed equal treatment for girls’ sports. For many years, Vincent and later Lloyal were steady companions in golfing and other outdoor activities in their beloved Copper Country.
Andrea was known for her generous and energetic community building, particularly among international students and their families at Michigan Tech. She was a tireless volunteer English tutor and organizer of social, cultural, and outdoor activities, and stayed in touch with many friends from all over the world until she died. When she moved to Ripon, she quickly became a valued member of discussion and book groups at the public library, the Federated Church of Green Lake, and Grace Lutheran Church. Her ability to make so many new friends at 87 years of age was an inspiration to many.
Andrea was always grateful for the church home provided over four decades by Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Houghton, and more recently by Grace Lutheran in Ripon. She experienced God’s love through worship and the many friendships she developed.
Andrea is survived by her sister, Evangeline (Edgar) Michalson, Moscow, ID; sons Leif Hauge (Jean Ferdinandsen), Oconomowoc, WI; Soren Hauge (Kat Griffith), Ripon, WI; grandchildren Sav Hauge, Westby, WI; Bjorn Hauge (Caroline Swords), Madison, WI; and Stefan Hauge, Madison, WI; sister-in-law Dianne Olsen, Tucson, AZ; stepdaughters Pat Bacon, Hancock, MI; Sherill Fulner, Cumberland, WI; and Diane Cavis, Onalaska, WI; and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, and several generations of her extended step-family.
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Announcement – October 15, 2024
Dear Friends,
We are writing to let you know that Andrea Hauge passed away this morning. The end was peaceful and she had expressed her readiness to go many times over the preceding couple of weeks.
She enjoyed good health and an active life until about a month ago when she experienced a sudden onset of weakness. A few days later, a fall landed her in the hospital and we learned she had atrial fibrillation and had had a small stroke. Over the next couple of weeks, she spent some time in the hospital and then a nursing home, where despite therapy and nursing care she weakened. Together we made the decision yesterday to transition to hospice.
The hospice orders had not yet gone through, and when she had another fall and atrial fibrillation episode in the night, the nursing home sent her to the ER. We met her there, and were with her for the next couple of hours until she died.
During her final weeks, she was visited by many friends and family members. Most days she had two to four visitors, and occasionally as many as six or seven! Bjorn, Sav, and Leif were here a lot, and she also had many phone calls with farther-flung loved ones. Her windowsill was full of cards and flowers. Unfortunately, things moved so fast in the end that we were not able to reach out to all of her beloved friends and family members in time for goodbyes. We are so sorry if you are among them.
We are planning on a celebration of her life at Grace Lutheran Church at 430 West Griswold Street in Ripon on October 26. Visitation will start at 10, the service at 11, and a luncheon at noon. Please RSVP so we can plan for food.
If you would like to watch the live stream, go to https://www.youtube.com/@gelcripon2848 and click the “live” option. A recording will probably be posted on that site as well.
Much love and gratitude to you for being a part of Andrea’s life — Soren Hauge, Kat Griffith.
If you would like to make a gift in her memory, her wishes were for donations to:
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (https://www.goodshepherd906.org/about/how-to-give)- 1100 College Ave, Houghton MI 49931. Grace Lutheran Church (https://www.graceripon.com/, 430 West Griswold, Ripon WI 54971.
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Andrea’s letter, finalized the night before she died
Dear friends and family, October 14th, 2024
Much of the year has been wrapping up loose ends and getting things squared away. I sold my house and property and moved in with Soren and Kat in Ripon in 2019. I miss being able to look out my front window and see Lake Superior, and all the birds. And now I look out the window and think, “Maybe Lake Superior isn’t entirely absent here.” And I can be thankful for it. Doddy and I talk frequently, and she communicates a lot of what’s on her mind through letters and calling on my cell phone. Two book groups keep me current with the ideas out there, and we love to be together.
Leif is playing golf and fiddle and working in his spare time, and Jean is fully retired as of the end of October. Soren continues to enjoy teaching economics at Ripon College and playing music which I enjoy listening to. Kat is busy on the county board and with various Quaker, environmental, and political initiatives. Sav is building a life in Southwest Wisconsin with many friends, a new job as a social worker, and is preparing to build a tiny house on wheels “out of sticks and stones”. Bjorn (still software engineering for an education nonprofit) married his long-time partner, Caroline (first year PhD at UW-Madison), in July and we all got to celebrate the new couple together. Stefan is working hard on his computer and data science degree and as a supervisor in residence services at UW-Madison.
I have been reflecting a lot recently. The quality of people I’ve been able to be with and the comfort they’ve provided me and the lessons they’ve brought forward from their lives and the challenges they’ve overcome have enriched my own. I think often of Doddy’s and my early years learning how to play sports. We weren’t just athletes, we were athletic teachers. And living examples of Paul Heist’s teaching, trying to do the best we could in whatever sport. I spent my whole life, and Doddy did quite a bit, too, working out professionally what I learned from my wonderful teachers.
We only know what we’re looking at in reverse. My question is, how much should I have asserted myself. I didn’t know until I tried.
Love you all, and I hope you have a good life. And choose to do what you choose to do.
Andrea
PS from the family: She finalized this letter the night before she died, and though we are sorry not to have gotten it to you all in time to say goodbye, we hope you’ll be able to feel her love and care for you through these words.
Elaine Bacon Literacy Program 