Dale I. Hanson, 77, Stevens Point, died Thursday, March 14, 2013, at his home of a long-term illness.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Frame Memorial Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Susan Zencka officiating. Burial will take place in Forest Cemetery at a later date.
Visitation will be at the church from 9:30 a.m. Friday until the service.
Memorials may be made via the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin to the Donn Behnke Scholarship Fund or to charity of one’s choice that would benefit children or teens.
Boston Funeral Home helped with arrangements. Condolences may be offered online at www.bostonfuneralhome.net.
Mr. Hanson was born Feb. 17, 1936, in a log cabin in Sawyer County, a son of the late Irving Hanson and Della Bjelland. He attended a one-room grade school near Exeland, Wis. He graduated from Bruce High School in 1954.
He went to college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a $40 scholarship. He hitchhiked there and was dropped off in the middle of State Street. He went to a local restaurant and the owner gave him a job sweeping floors and cleaning in trade for room and board above the restaurant.
He was married to Donna Loskot on Oct. 19, 1963, at the First Presbyterian Church in Edgar.
He attended the university for three years before being drafted into the U.S. Army Aug. 18, 1958. After basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, he was assigned duty at Fort Bragg, N.C., as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne. During his time of service he often traveled to Washington, D.C., to be a part of the Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. Toward the end of his time of service, he finished his college degree in mechanical engineering, graduating in January of 1962. He was honorably discharged Feb. 28, 1962.
He worked for Wisconsin Public Service Corp. for 35 years. He moved around the company’s territory, living in Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Oshkosh, Green Bay and then Stevens Point in 1974. He retired in 1997. He was active in the Professional Society of Engineers during his career. The society recognized him as an outstanding Professional Engineer in Industry on April 12, 1991.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Keith (Tracy), Hilliard, Ohio, and Chris (Stacie), Yakima, Wash.; one daughter, Nora (Corey) Stewart, Sitka, Alaska; one sister, Carol (Terry), Superior; one brother, Michael (Patty), Marinette; and five grandchildren.
