Obit: Hanson, Spencer E. (1918 – 2009)
Contact: Stan

Surnames: Hanson, Kvale, Nevin, Briggs, Prudoehl, Kaegbein, Sacia, Johnson

----Source: La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wis.) Wednesday March 4, 2009

Hanson, Spencer E. (6 Oct. 1918 – 3 Mar. 2009)

Spencer "Dick" R. Hanson

Blair

Spencer "Dick" E. Hanson, 90, of rural Blair died Tuesday, March 3, 2009, at Grand View Care Center in Blair.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Fagernes Lutheran Church in rural Blair.

Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Jack Funeral Home in Blair and 10 a.m. to services Saturday at the church.

----Source: La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wis.) Thursday March 5, 2009

Spencer Richard "Dick" Hanson, 90, of rural Blair died Tuesday, March 3, 2009, in Grand View Care Center in Blair.

Spencer was born on Oct. 6, 1918, in Cando, N.D., to Ernest and Gina (Johnson) Hanson. His family moved to Welch Coulee, rural Blair, when Spencer was 4 years old.

Spencer graduated from Blair High School and attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during WW11 as a courier for the allies. After returning to the United States after the war, Spencer finished his college degree, graduating summa cum laude from the University of Wisconsin School of Agriculture in 1946.

Spencer was a dairy farmer and also an instructor for the Veterans Farm Training program. Spencer enjoyed inventing and designing equipment for farming and set up one of the area's first milking parlors.

Spencer was also an accomplished jazz clarinetist performing with the Spencer Hanson Trio and Ron Sacia's Mississippi MuddCats. His own trio played frequently on the Julia Belle Swain riverboat and Finn and Sawyer's restaurant in Winona, Minn.

Spencer married Shirley Kaegbein on Oct. 16, 1954, in Fagernes Lutheran Church, rural Blair.

Spencer is survived by his wife, Shirley; a sister, Rhoda Prudoehl of Albert Lea, Minn.; and other relatives and friends.

In addition to his parents, Spencer was preceded in death by a brother, Robert, and two sisters, Eunice Nevin and Ila Briggs.

Funeral services will be on Saturday, March 7, at 11 a.m. in Fagernes Lutheran Church, with burial in the church cemetery, both in rural Blair. Pastor Mark Kvale will officiate. Military graveside services will be conducted by Knudtson-Mattison American Legion Post 23l.

Visitation will be Friday, March 6, from 4 to 8 p.m. in Jack Funeral Home in Blair and also one hour prior to the services at the church on Saturday.