Mitzie Tanner

Mitzie Tanner, 77, of New London, died Tuesday, April 15th at Prairie Senior Cottages in Willmar. Her visitation will be from 5-7:00 pm, Friday, May 9th at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar. A private burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in New London. www.hafh.org

Mitzie Tanner has decided that Norman has had enough free time and has left us to be with him. Sorry Dad…She’s on her way!!

Mitzie was born June 29, 1947, to William “Bill” and Vera (Uttermark) Hanen in Newton, IA. She was the youngest of nine children. They moved to Minnesota when she was still pretty young and lived in Clara City, Kerkhoven, and Belgrade, where they farmed.

Mitzie met the love of her life, Norman Tanner, and they were united in marriage on July 11, 1964. They spent 59 years together until his passing in December of 2023. They got married in the Willmar Hospital because the best man had broken his leg. They moved to Kerkhoven to raise their three children: Mark, Duane and Leslie. Mitzie stated many times that all three of her children had pushed her to her limits and that she was going to “wring their necks” and at times had tried! She and Norm purchased a cabin on Lake Andrew in 1974 and spent every summer there until 1985. They then built a house on Lake Andrew and continued to live there until 2023. Mitzie loved having nieces and nephews stay with them at the lake. She would let them roam free but still under the ever so watchful eye. This would let them think they would get away with something but that was never the case!

Mitzie enjoyed gardening, decorating her yard with all kinds of knick knacks and ornaments. She also liked decorating her house for the holidays. She never threw any decorations away, she figured she might want to use them again later. Mitzie always enjoyed going to auctions and antique stores looking for the next great bargain. You just never knew what she would come home with, whether it was furniture, knick knacks, or cars. She also had a great fondness for Occupied Japan and Mammies. She never sold or got rid of any of her treasures.

When she got a bit older, she loved making clocks out of whatever she could. She made clocks out of old wood, fishing lures and silverware. She had 45 different clocks all over the house. Norm always said daylight savings was a nightmare!

Mitzie is survived by her three children: Mark Tanner (Jody Phelps) of New London, Duane (Juliane) Tanner of Spicer, and Leslie Adrian of Willmar; eight grandchildren: Abby (Jay) Losing, Dakota Tanner, Hayden (Jami) Tanner, Ramsey (Troy) Melsha, Collin (Loree) Tanner, Samantha Adrian, Shauna Andreasen, and Shelby Adrian; and 12 great-grandchildren: Tenyson, Cooper, Landon, Gentry, Declan, Finley, Alexandra, Rylee, Daymian, Brody, Maci and Myles. She is also survived by her siblings: Joyce VanHeuvlen, Dorothy (Marlyn) Marquardt and Mary Hatlestad.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman; parents, Bill and Vera; and siblings: Billy, Ronnie, Donna, June and Moni.

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