- Date Of Birth: May 31, 1927
- Date Of Death: June 30, 2022
- State: Colorado
Carl D Hanson (5/31/27–6/30/22, age 95)
Carl was born in Fredericktown, PA, to John and Mildred Hanson on May 31, 1927. His only sibling, Delores, was born 3 years later. Their hometown was 35 miles south of Pittsburgh and located on the banks of the Monongahela River. His parents owned and operated the local hardware store. His early childhood was marked by close family ties and frequent family picnics to the river’s shore, where he and friends would swim out to the main channel and play in the giant wakes created by steam-driven paddle boats of the era. Fascinated by sports at an early age, he prided himself on organizing touch-football and pick-up baseball games with nearby communities. An exceptional high school running back and baseball shortstop at East Bethlehem HS, he was invited for a tryout with the Pittsburgh Pirates at age 17, where the famous Honus Wagner “hit me ground balls”.
“No way! If that’s true why don’t you call her?”, Bob replied.
Carl walked Bob to the pay phone, rang her up, and married her in 1953. Bob Neville returned to Odessa to be the best man. Carl and Nellda were married for 62 years, until her death in 2015.
His love of sport was intense, lifelong, and exceeded only by his love of family. He and Nellda had 3 children, Carl Jr, Lisa, and Jon. To be loved by him as a child was to be protected by the strongest force you would ever know. He had a powerful and at times intimidating personality. Few if any ever forgot meeting him. A look from his eyes could feel worse than any spanking. When Carl Jr lost his first two little league football games at age 7, Dad announced at the dinner table, “Your team is too talented to lose like that, you guys need a new coach. On Monday I’ll be your coach”.
“But Dad we already have a coach, Mr Luxa”.
“I’ll be the coach on Monday and Mr Luxa will be my assistant”.
On Monday Dad was coaching, and the team did not lose another game for 4 years.
And yes, he took over the baseball team too.
And yes, at age 82 he became the personal caregiver for his wife, after the doctors told him he didn’t have enough medical training to deal with the severity of her illnesses. He learned to give injections, to draw blood, to monitor and adjust intraspinal drug pumps, to perform at home anticoagulation tests, to keep constant blood pressure/oxygen saturation/blood glucose charts, etc….And he did that for YEARS before her passing, all so she could stay at home and be more comfortable.
Yes he could be intimidating, but his dedication to those he loved was by far his most powerful force.
There is really no sadness at the end of a 95 year old life so well lived. Because of his gradual decline since a stroke at age 92, all of us who cherished him have had ample time to say goodbye and assure him that he will always be a guiding force in our lives. Anyone who knew him well was better for it, and our world was made a better place because of his presence in it.
Carl is survived by his sister Delores Green (h-Bill) of Owensville, MO, his son Carl Jr (w-KayLynn) of Denver, CO, and his daughter Lisa Schandle (h-Tom) of Littleton, CO, six grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents John and Mildred, his wife Nellda, and his youngest child Jon.
