John (Jack) Sheldon Hanson, formerly of Albert Lea, died Friday, March 20, 2009, in Minneapolis. He was 83 years of age.
Memorial services for John S. Hanson will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Morris Nielson Funeral Home in Richfield (6527 Portland Ave.). A gathering of friends and family will follow the service. A second memorial service in Albert Lea will occur in April. A notice will follow.
Born Nov. 4, 1925, in Albert Lea, the son of Edward and Augusta Hanson, Jack grew up on a farm in Albert Lea and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1944. He served in World War II in the U.S. Navy. In June of 1947, he married Geraldine (Jerry) Gulbrandson of Albert Lea and they have shared over 61 years together. They made their home in Albert Lea until November of 2000 when they relocated to Richfield to be near their children and grandchildren.
Jack was a firefighter for the city of Albert Lea for 31 years and also worked for many years at Bonnerup and Son Funeral Home. He and Jerry were longtime members of Grace Lutheran Church.
Always known as a handyman, Jack enjoyed woodworking, clocks, stained glass, home projects and brass bands. Through the years he raised pigeons, flew remote control airplanes and enjoyed camping. He and Jerry spent a summer as camp hosts in Minnesota state parks. His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren were a great source of joy and amusement for him.
He is survived by his wife, Geraldine; and three children: daughter, Jill (Chuck) Jacobson of Minneapolis, Thomas (Sue) Hanson of Arden Hills, and Mark Hanson of Blooming Prairie. They have six grandchildren: Erik (Tonya) Jacobson, Jennifer (Ron) Welbaum, Krista (Aren) Seifert, Peter Hanson, Sarah (Michael) Heath, and Dayne Hanson. They also have five great-grandchildren.
Jack is survived by a sister and brother-in-law, Barbara Jean and Allen Kleinpaste of Albert Lea, as well as many nieces and nephews.
People can ontact the family at: jill.jacobson@gmail.com.