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Henrietta Antoinette (Cejka) Hansen of Weston died at the Autumn House in Lincoln on February 7, 2013 at the age of 93. 

Henrietta was born at home on a farm south west of Weston to Joseph T. Cejka and Mary (Jasa) Cejka on October 19, 1919.  She grew up on the farm and attended Rural School District 76.  She graduated from Weston High School in 1937 and attended Luther College in Wahoo.  She obtained a teaching certificate and began her teaching career at District 64. 

In 1944 she began her traveling adventures when she and her sister Marie journeyed by train from Omaha to Pensacola, Florida.  Marie was on her way to become the bride of Reuben E. Caha and Henrietta was to be bridesmaid.  Due to inclement weather, Reuben had not finished his required flying hours and could not get married for several weeks.  In a hurry, Marie and Henrietta had to find a room and jobs (money runs out in a hurry).  In Pensacola, Henrietta began her Civil Service career by getting a job at the Pensacola Naval Air Station as an Air Craft Mechanic – greasing the threads on spark plugs.  Marie worked in a Department store.

Later that same year in 1944, Henrietta married Jim Rushing an enlisted man in the Marine Corp.  When Jim received service orders he was being sent overseas, she traveled from Pensacola to Oceanside, California to be with him.  Henrietta boarded the train by herself; however, she quickly made friends with two others traveling the same route.  When her husband boarded the air craft carrier taking him overseas she returned from Oceanside to Nebraska.

In Lincoln, she became a toll operator for the telephone company.  When Jim completed his tour of duty from overseas with the Marines he joined Henrietta in Nebraska.  In 1947, their daughter Cheryl Eileen was born; however she died within 4 days.  A number of years later, in 1952 Henrietta became divorced from Jim; yet, she continued to live in the city.

In 1956 Henrietta married Donald Hansen of Norfolk.  To this union were born two daughters, Donna Louise and Toni Marie.  In 1963 the family moved to Barstow, California in the high Mojave Desert.  Henrietta loved the cloudless blue skies and dry climate of the desert. 

After her divorce from Don in 1969 she continued her Civil Service career at the Fort Irwin, California Army base.  When the base was deactivated in 1982 she was employed at the Marine Corp. Logistics Depot in Barstow.  She started as a telephone operator but changed to being a computer operator.  She continued to work there until she retired in 1997 at the age of 78 years.  Just prior to her retirement, she was honored in a ceremony as the oldest working civilian at the Marine base.     

In Barstow, she was a member of the Concordia Lutheran Missouri Synod church.  She was active in voice choir, bell choir, as a reader, in altar guild, and the Concordia Crafters. 

In 2005, after being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma her doctor recommended Dr. Armitage of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha as the best Oncologist she knew.  Henrietta moved to Weston and lived in the house her grandfather, Joseph T.Cejka Sr., had built in 1918 for his retirement.  After treatment by Dr. Armitage the disease was in remission.  In Nebraska, Henrietta attended the Czech Presbyterian church.  She had first been a member of the church as a young child and then again in her later years.

Henrietta’s parents, brothers – George, Paul, Vladimir, and sisters – Esther, Marie, and Martha (deceased in infancy) preceded her in death along with her first daughter, Cheryl Eileen (deceased in infancy).

She is survived by brother-in-law, Reuben E. Caha; daughters, Donna Hansen and Toni Marie Binks.  Many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and loving friends.  She is being cremated with her ashes scattered in a private location. 

Henrietta delighted in seeing and experiencing the world.  Some of her travel adventures included:  British Isles, Panama Canal cruise – including Central and South America, Hawaii, Para-sailing and snorkeling at Catalina Island, California, Alaskan cruise, Puget Sound in Washington State, New York City, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Hudson River Valley, Pocono Mountains, Niagara Falls – winter & summer, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Bryce and Zion National Parks, and Grand Canyon National Park – three times: by mule, by river rafting the Colorado through the Canyon, and by hiking 7 miles while gaining 5,000 feet in elevation from the bottom up the Bright Angel Trail to reach the South rim of the Canyon.

Henrietta had an invincible spirit, an independent nature, a child-like playfulness, and a zest for life and adventure.  She will be missed.