A memorial service for Robert Hanson, age 69, of Milford was held Friday, January 26, 2024, at Downtown Church in Milford.
Robert ‘Bob’ Hanson passed from this world unexpectedly on January, 23, 2024, a beautiful winter morning. In his last moments he was surrounded by nearly his entire family.
Bob was born on November 14, 1954, in Spencer, Iowa, to Leo K Hanson and Betty Lorene Hanson (Baldwin), He graduated Spencer High School in 1972, making many lifelong friends along the way. He picked up a love for music and his favorite band ZZ Top.
Afterwards, he got straight to work building a family with his beloved wife of 49 years, Sally K Hanson (Tischer), who he married at the Union Memorial church of Milford in 1975. He faithfully supported his young family of three children Nathan, Greg, and April by always working and instilling the value of hard work. When times were tough, he did whatever was necessary to keep food on his young family’s table, from working at Eatons as a fabricator, to working as a janitor for McQuay’s. His time at the Fostoria Coop as an applicator boosted him into his role managing the Terril Cropmate location. Eventually he found his calling and became an agronomist with an impressive 45 year career and an even more impressive amount of lifelong customers and friends who regarded him with the utmost of respect.
Bob and his wife Sally built a beautiful home together in Milford that would be the centerpiece their family revolved around. Always a bastion of refuge for any family member in need. The kitchen table, a barn find Bob handedly rebuilt, always had an extra seat for any person who came at any time of the day or night. A salad handmade by Bob beautifully adorned with carefully placed carrots, tomatoes, and onions accompanying whatever wonderful meal Sally prepared. No visit to their home would be complete without visiting with Bob in the garage to see his most recent project and hear him scold the starlings and later the squirrels that harassed the plants and garden he cared for so much.
Though not trained as an artist, Bob took up many woodworking and wildlife projects that are functional art pieces in a category all their own. Most of his pieces revolved around hunting trophies he, his family, or his friends had scored. Each a unique creation filled with love and good will in each careful drop of glue, screw, saw cut, or nail. Better than owning a piece of Bob’s art was being with him on the hunting or fishing trips like so many of his children and grandchildren loved to go on. Through their hunts and countless hours together Bob taught many life lessons and created so many memories that will never be forgotten by those who had the privilege of spending the time with him.
He was a dear little brother to all his siblings who survived him, Beverly, Cheryl, Linda, Lanny and his wife Nancy, and his sister Kathy.
He was a revered father of his children, Nathan and his wife Hilery, Greg and his wife Nikkie, and April and her husband Chad.
A forever memorable grandfather to his twenty-one grandchildren.
And a charming and sweet great-grandfather to five great-grandchildren with one more on the way at the time of his passing.
He was preceded in death by his father Leo, mother Betty Lorene, and brother Ken, his mother in law Ferel, fathers in law Ralph and Edward, brothers in law Bill, Ozzie, and George, his grandson Caleb, his favorite dog Lexus, and many more friends and relatives.
Turner Jenness Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
