Faith Santo Hanzal, 97, of Stapleton, Nebraska, passed away on September 7, 2024 at Linden Court in North Platte, Nebraska. Beloved only daughter of Frank Lee Santo and Cecyle Leila (Hamm) Santo, Faith was born in her grandparent’s sod house west of Stapleton on October 4, 1926.
Riding on horseback to attend a country school in northwest Logan County, Faith completed the 8th grade there, and then for two years she attended high school at the University of Nebraska School of Agriculture at Curtis. She then moved to Stapleton, living with the Teichert family, and graduated from Stapleton High School in 1944. Continuing her education at Kearney State Teachers College in Nebraska, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Home Economics in 1950. Faith met her future husband, Joseph Hanzal, in a history class at Kearney. On July 8, 1950, Faith Lee and Joseph A. Hanzal were united in marriage at the First Presbyterian Church in Kearney, and from that union were born three daughters: Beverly Jeanette, Amy Elizabeth, and Carla Marie. Faith and Joe both taught school at Hayes Center, Nebraska, for two years and at Gresham, Nebraska for four years.
In 1956, Faith and Joe returned to the family ranch, Santo Land and Cattle Company, in northwest Logan County. The ranch began as a Kinkaid Homestead acquired by her father, and the young Hanzal family answered the calling of stewardship for the Sandhills, wildlife, water, and cattle. Returning to the ranch came naturally to Faith, and for 49 years she and Joe worked tirelessly to improve the ranch and cattle. As a girl, Faith had enthusiastically helped her father with feeding cattle, checking wells, and milking cows. She vividly recalled the 1934 drought, when the ranch received a massive herd of starving cattle from Kansas. Shipped by rail to Gandy, the cattle were driven north to the Sandhills, where the ranch’s abundant water saved the cattle, whose coats were thickly encrusted with dirt. The north side of Faith’s home was black with flies escaping the heat, and she and her mother shooed them with dishcloths, as they prepared the food for the hired help that built fences, moved the cattle, and tended pumpjack engines that ensured constant streams of water. The dusty winds that blew that year deposited new seeds, ultimately improving the ranch’s forage.
Faith’s childhood also included some remarkable adventures with her mother’s family, including attending the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and viewing the original 1939 screening of The Wizard of Oz at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.
Known for her love of birds and chickens, Faith had a particular affinity for winged creatures. Migrating butterflies would see the beacon of Faith’s flower garden. She and Joe awoke one fall morning to see the cedar tree ablaze with thousands of monarchs.
Faith’s heart radiated with joy and gratitude. She loved her family and remained eager to hear all the news about her grandchildren. She was devoted to her community and dedicated her life to service. She loved to visit, and could usually determine how she might be related or know someone who was connected to you in some way. Faith had a particular gift for gardening and feeding people abundant meals. She remained devoted to her community throughout her life and participated in the Presbyterian Church Lifeboat Mariners, Lone Valley Extension Club, Farm Bureau, Sunshine Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, Nebraska Cattle Women, and VFW Women’s Auxiliary, and was a member of the Cornerstone Presbyterian Church.
Faith was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, an infant brother, Greyson Ray, and granddaughter Rachel Denise Johnson.
She is survived by daughters, Beverly (Gregg) Johnson, Amy (Mostafa) Kashi, Carla (David) Hanzal; grandchildren, Holly (Bobby) Graves, Kari (Shawn) Gerber, Michael Johnson, Evan, Ryan and Alex Kashi, and Helena Hanzal Childress; and great-grandchildren, Ryder, River and Rikely Graves.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Stapleton Splash Pad Fund, the Logan County 4H Council or the Crane Trust.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Friday, September 13, 2024 at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, Stapleton, Nebraska. Rev Mark Rohrback will be officiating. Burial will be at 2:00 P.M. following lunch, at the McCain Cemetery, Stapleton, Nebraska. Visitation will be from noon-7:00 P.M. on Thursday with family receiving friends from 5-7 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home who is assisting the family.