J. William Hanson was born March 3, 1913, in Rockford, Ill., son of John Arvid and Edith Hanson. Bill passed away June 11, 2009, in Albert Lea at age 96.
He graduated from Rockford High School and attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. He was married to Grace Pauline Ortgiesen from 1934 until her death in 1990.
When World War II began, Bill worked for Rock Island Lumber Company (later shortened to RILCO) and traveled around the country to build defense plants. Early in 1944 he became assistant plant manager of the RILCO lamination plant in Albert Lea, and then Manager of the new RILCO plant outside of town from 1952 to 1961. In 1961, Bill became resident manager of Weyerhaeuser’s lamination plant in Cottage Grove, Ore., and in 1968 moved to Special Projects at Weyerhaeuser Corporate Office in Federal Way, Wash., eventually retiring in 1977.
Bill returned to Albert Lea in 1991 and married Esther Tostrud, who survives him. He is also survived by daughters Sandee King (Oceanside, Calif.) and Susan Wiggins (Jacksonville, Fla.), grandchildren Michelle King (Hollandale), Tim Isaacs (Hailey, Idaho), Forrest Isaacs (Tucson, Ariz.) Kim Strahan (Springfield, Ore.), a number of great-grandchildren, stepdaughters Demita Westrum (Sun City, Ariz.) and Delores Schultz (Owatonna), stepson Milton Tostrud (Rochester).
Visitation will be Monday 5-7 p.m. at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea. Memorial service will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, Albert Lea.
The family requests donations to First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea or the Albert Lea Senior Center.