Submitted photo Pictured are David Hansvick's parents, Dottie and John, and their children Christine, Vernon, and David, circa 1959.  

We have begun learning about Marshall’s David Hansvick, the second of three children born to Dottie (Penske) Hansvick and John Hansvick. Dave grew up in the small town of Vesta. Like most of us in southwest Minnesota, Dave’s ancestors came from overseas.

“I have a family tree for the Hansvicks that goes back to 1741 in Norway. In 1741 we were in the northern, Trondheim area of Norway. So, that’s where the Hansvicks came from. My Grandma Hansvick’s family name was Peterson. Grandpa Hansvick’s name, from that same area, was Heim. They came across (the Atlantic) 7 years apart, but Grandpa was 2 years old and I think Grandma was about 12 years old when she came. When both of them came into New York they gave them the name Hansvick. So, when they married, they were Hansvick marrying Hansvick, but they were (actually) Peterson and Heim. That’s their origin.”

The other half of Dave’s family tree immigrated from another part of Europe.

“The Penske’s came from an area of Germany (called) Prussia, between Germany and Poland. My Mom refused to say that she was Polish, it was German. It probably was German, but when they talked about it, she’d say, ‘Well, I’m German.’ It was very important to her to be German.”

Dave described the evidence of his family’s ethnic heritage that endures to this day.

“Lefse was very big in our house. Grandma Hansvick made lefse; my mom ended up making lefse, and I make lefse once in a while. My mom grew up on German food. So, if there was anything cultural, it was probably in the food that we ate. I don’t know if there are any other ethnic traditions other than food, (although) the Penskes were primarily Wisconsin Synod (German) Lutheran.”

Dave knew both sets of his grandparents well and described their relationship and facility with their ancestors’ languages.

I think both (sets of grandparents) knew it. My grandparents knew (Norwegian and German), but I don’t think they wanted the next generation to know. I think they wanted them to go into English, unlike Ann’s family. Ann (Dave’s spouse) remembers her parents speaking German. But for my parents, I don’t think either one knew German or Norwegian.”

Although only selective parts of the cultural heritage of Dave’s family tree touched his life, the extended family on both sides was a big part of his childhood.

“Every aunt and uncle I had took special interest in every one of their nieces and nephews. Even the aunts and uncles who weren’t around, who were in California or somewhere, took special interest in every one of us. It made for a close relationship. I knew every one of my aunts and uncles and every one of them knew me. That was a real blessing and we always had group things with all the cousins getting together. We’d have large groups with all the aunts and uncles and they would be nothing but laughter. My extended family on both sides were wonderful.”

Dave remembered many large, family gatherings.

“The Hansvicks often got together at Grandpa and Grandma’s farm, 2 miles west of Vesta. Sometimes they’d get together at one of the aunts or uncles, but more often it’d be at the farm. There was always a big softball game in the summer. All the cousins would play and sometimes you’d play the uncles. I remember sitting at Grandpa and Grandma’s farm as a young kid and all of the aunts and uncles would be laughing as they sat around the table. You wished they’d turn down the laughter because you were trying to watch TV. There were the jokes they played on each other and how close they were to each other. My dad was in the Navy; Lawrence was in the Army; Bill was in the Air Force; and Floyd, the oldest, stayed home and farmed. He was the civil service officer for that part of the county, but was the brunt of a lot of jokes. One night they got together and put their uniforms on. Then they (teased) Floyd, ‘Hey Floyd, why don’t you get your armband and come in here with us?’ (Dave chuckled) They were just wonderful.”

The Penske clan also hosted gatherings of the extended family.

The Penske’s usually got together in town. Grandpa and Grandma Penske lived in [Vesta]. The Penske’s always played cards at these family gatherings.”

Dave particularly valued his ability to know his grandparents.

“I grew up with them. They were all right here. I’d go out and visit them. It was a blessing to have that. And that was both sets of my grandparents, my mom’s and my dad’s parents.”

The extended families played a major role in big holiday gatherings.

“I don’t remember many times that we had Thanksgiving at our home in Vesta. You would either be at Uncle Roger and Aunt Margaret Marx’s on the farm outside of Vesta toward Marshall, or it’d be at Grandpa and Grandma Hansvick’s, or it’d be at Grandpa and Grandma Penske’s. The Christmas gatherings were generally Christmas Day at Grandpa and Grandma Hansvick’s on the farm with everybody and them you’d go into town at about 5 o’clock and spend the rest of the evening with Grandpa and Grandma Penske. Some of them (Penske aunts, uncles, and cousins) would still be there. That was generally the rule for our family. (Dave chuckled) You (always went) somewhere.

As Dave grew older, his world quickly expanded to Vesta and its nearby environs.

©2026 William D. Palmer