Hannelore (Hanna) Marlene Angelika Stolen was born on February 19, 1943 to Horst and Emma (Bluhm) Reinke in the German state of East Prussia. Hanna and her mother fled to Coswig in Central Germany ahead of the advancing Soviet Army.

Wanting to leave Communist controlled East Germany, Hanna and her mother flew out to Berlin on a British aircraft during the Berlin Airlift. Hanna and her mother reunited with Hanna's father in Itzehoe in Northern Germany. Subsequently the family moved to Heilbronn in West Central Germany. Hanna graduated from Gymnasium (High School) and attended teachers college.

During this time Hanna met her future husband, Derrick, who was serving in the U.S. Army. Their relationship progressed from dating to formal engagement to long distance correspondence when the Army transferred Derrick to the U.S., then on to Vietnam and finally back to Germany. Hanna and Derrick were married in Heilbronn in 1966.

After Derrick's discharge the couple spent a year in Madison, MN where their daughter Angie was born. The family moved to North St. Paul in 1968 when Hanna was employed as a teacher at Presentation of B.V.M. School in Maplewood. She taught there until 2005. During this time Hanna took classes at St. Thomas College and graduated in 1980 with a B.A. in German, cum laude.

Hanna enjoyed reading, knitting, camping, and travel. In retirement Hanna volunteered at the Maplewood Library and at St. Mark's Lutheran Church.

In 2014 the couple moved to Vadnais Heights. Hanna is preceded in death by her parents Horst and Emma Reinke, and In-laws Arthur and Gladys Stolen. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Derrick, daughter Angie Needham (Greg), grandchildren Tony, Hanna, and Molly, and sister-in-law Gail Eide (Leroy). She leaves behind relatives and friends in the U.S. and Germany.