1945 Obituary for Harry A. Hanson

Funeral Services Held for Harry A. Hanson, Williston

Funeral services were held in the Baptist church in Lisbon, ND, Tuesday afternoon for Harry A. Hanson of Williston, former resident of Lisbon, ND.  Rev. J. J. Janousek officiated.

Mr. Hanson who was the son of Wilbur Hanson of Lisbon, met death last Thursday in the wreck of the GN Empire Builder at Michigan, ND where 33 others persons were killed and a large number injured. 

Harry Arthur Hanson, age 60, was born Jan. 26, 1885 at Baraboo, WI to Wilbur and Mary Hanson.  At the age of one year he moved with his parents to a homestead 16 miles west of Lisbon, attending elementary school in Hanson township and four years of high school in Lisbon, and during this stay in Lisbon he sang in the Baptist choir.

He also attended the University at Grand Forks for two years after which he taught in Ransom County School for two years. 

He was married Nov. 17, 1909 to Kate Lozler Johnson.  To this union four children were born, Walter, who lives near Poplar, MT, Mary of Lustre, MT, Donald, Yeoman 2-C in the US Navy, and Sgt. Dean Hanson, US Air Force.  All the children were present at the funeral except Donald who was unable to come. 

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs Hanson moved to a farm near Calloway, MN living there until 1929. Later opening a meat market at Calloway for a year.  Selling out his meat market Mr. Hanson purchased a market at Pelican Rapids, MN which he operated until 1934, when the family moved to Nashua, MT, where he ran a meat dept. until 1939, when his health failed and he under went the first of several serious operations. 

Regaining his health somewhat he became manager of a Red Owl meat dept. and at the time of the wreck, Mr. and Mrs. Hanson were returning from MPLS where he had undergone two operations from which he was recovering.  Their destination was their home at Williston, ND.

The day of the accident Harry and Mrs. Hanson were sitting in the observation car conversing for an hour or more and he was looking forward to many more years of life.  Becoming chilly, Mrs. Hanson said she was going to their berth in the sleeping car ahead.  Mr. Hanson said he would be with her in a few minutes.  Five minutes later came the ill fated crash which caused his death. 

Mr. Hanson was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Knights of Pythies, was active in church work, being a member of the Congregational church of Pelican Rapids, MN, singing in church choirs for many years and during a "flu" epidemic he sang solos at fire funerals in one week.

He is survived by his father and step mother, four children and five grandchildren, three brothers and two sisters.