PIERRE, SD – Carroll Hanten, 91, of Pierre passed away on Monday, May 25, 2026. A visitation will be held from 5:00–6:00 pm, Sunday May 31st at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Pierre with prayer service starting at 6:00pm. A Funeral service will be held at 10:00am, Monday, June 1st at the Resurrection Lutheran Church in Pierre. Burial will take place at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Humboldt, SD.
Carroll Janna Eggee Hanten was just shy of celebrating her 92nd birthday. She was born to Arthur Eggee and Mathilde “Betty” Bergeson on July 11, 1934, at the family home in Logan County, North Dakota. Her family later moved to Humboldt, where she and her younger sister Patricia “Pat” were raised. Carroll had fond memories of traveling back and forth from school by horse. She graduated from Humboldt High School. Carroll cherished her years in Humboldt and maintained many lifelong friendships.
She received a B.S. degree in Zoology and Education and an M.S. degree in Physiology and Biochemistry from South Dakota State University. She later earned her Ph.D. in Neurophysiology from Arizona State University.
After Carroll’s first teaching job in Muscatine, Iowa she saw a sign that read, “ROMANCE, TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, NAVY NEEDS TEACHERS,” which led her to Guantanamo Bay. While teaching for the Navy in Guantanamo Bay, she enjoyed skin diving among some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. After Guantanamo She returned to SDSU and completed her master’s degree.
Carroll’s next great adventure was teaching at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. After three years, the university encouraged her to pursue her doctorate, so she returned to Arizona State University, where she had received a National Science Foundation fellowship in Desert Biology the previous summer.
Carroll had met Robert “Bob” Lee Hanten while attending South Dakota State University. They began a long-distance relationship while Carroll was working on her doctorate. They were married at Grace Lutheran Church on June 13, 1970 in Phoenix, Arizona. Carroll spent her summer in Pierre before returning to Phoenix for her final year of school.
After completing her doctorate, Carroll joined Bob in Pierre, South Dakota. In 1972, they were blessed with the birth of their son, Robert “Bob” Peter Hanten. She was overqualified for available jobs in the area, so she conducted research, taught at both the high school and community college, and devoted herself to raising her son while her husband, Bob, frequently traveled in his role as Chief of Fisheries for the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks.
Some of Carroll’s favorite things included horseback riding, swimming, canoeing the Niobrara River, coffee group with friends, reading murder mysteries, baking—especially her famous apple pies, traveling, bird watching, participating in the Audubon Christmas bird count, celebrating Syttende Mai (Norwegian holiday) and attending the Living Nativity at Resurrection Lutheran Church.
She was proud of her 17 years as editor of the S.D. Academy Journal, her many years of making quilts for Lutheran World Relief, and the publication of several significant papers. She belonged to Resurrection Lutheran Church, the Middle Missouri Archaeological Society, the Missouri Breaks Audubon Society, the South Dakota Academy of Science, and Sigma Xi – The Scientific Research Honor Society. Above all, Carroll was most proud of her family, especially her granddaughters, Grace and Sophia, who brought her much joy.
Carroll was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, “Bob” Hanten.
Carroll is survived by her son, Robert “Bob” Peter Hanten and his wife, Kay; granddaughters, Grace Hanten and Sophia Hanten; and sister, Pat Wikel (Rob).
