Lyle Richard Hanson went to be with his Lord and Savior on the evening of Oct. 31, 2021, with family by his side.
Lyle was born March 15, 1933, in Barlow, North Dakota, at the Hanson farmhouse.
As a boy and teenager, Lyle enjoyed everything to do with farming and farm life. In high school, during the summer months, he worked on the Montgomery farm. He loved working with his best friend, Kenny Montgomery.
When Lyle graduated high school in 1951, his older sister, Joyce and her husband, Leo, travelled from the Pacific Northwest to attend. When they returned to the Grays Harbor area, they brought Lyle with them. In time, the rest of his family moved west.
He worked a short time for Whitney’s in Montesano. Then, he worked from 1951-1954 for a chair factory in Aberdeen. He was then hired at Simpson Timber Company, first in plywood fabrication and then a millwright. He retired after 44 years with the company.
It wasn’t long after moving to Elma that Lyle met Opal Barrett on a blind date. They never looked back and were married on Oct. 30, 1954. Three children were born over the next five years.
There was excitement and joy in the air when Lyle and Opal bought a small farm in McCleary, and Lyle, once again, could work a farm. In 1978, they moved to Meadowood outside of Elma, and in 1995 they moved to the “Last Stop,” Viking West trailer park.
Lyle and his family attended and made the Elma C&MA Church their home church. Lyle faithfully served as an Elder, a board member, a trustee, taught Sunday School, and an AWANA helper. He loved his Savior, his family and his church family unconditionally.
Camping was a Hanson tradition and for many long holiday weekends, the whole family would camp together. Lyle and Opal did a lot of traveling in the fifth wheel and spent 11 consecutive winters in the Arizona desert.
Lyle and Opal’s October wedding anniversary was always a very special time for them. For 30 straight years they celebrated with three other couples with October anniversaries: Donna and Jim George, Dale and Avis Welch and John and Maxine Isaacson. They started out taking weekend trips, and as everyone retired, they would stretch it out for a few days.
Lyle’s hobbies: coin collecting, rock cutting and polishing, riding his Honda Gold Wing and watching the Seahawks!
Lyle is survived by his wife, Opal, his sister Joyce Whipple, his son Allen (Linda) Hanson, his daughter Laurie Kingery, his son Dale (Patty) Hanson, and “adopted” daughter Linda Alawine.
He is also survived by grandchildren: Bary (Kelly) Hanson, Jessica (Bill) Pickert, BJ Hanson, Mickey Grier, Matt (Brittany) Grier, Kitty Grier, Brittany Kingery, Taylor (Brandon) Swan, Crystal Hearitige, Melissa Hearitige, Mikayla (Dexter) Larson and Jillian Hanson and great-grandchildren: Bary and Kelly’s Ramona and Imogene, Mickey’s Isabella and Chloe, Matt and Brittany’s David, Charlotte and James. Jessica and Bill’s Amity, Taylor and Brandon’s Finnley, Mikayla and Dexter’s Jade and Duane.
A celebration of life for Lyle was held Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Elma Christian & Missionary Alliance Church.
In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to C&MA Missions.
