Donald Hanson

Friday, February 3, 2023 11:33 am

Donald Hanson, age 83, of Decorah, died on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, at Hillcrest Manor nursing home in Sumner.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Canoe Ridge Lutheran Church, 1316 Canoe Ridge Road, Decorah, with Rev. Adam Starrett presiding. Burial will be in the church cemetery at a later date.Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10, at the Helms Funeral Home, 604 South Ave in Decorah and also one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Helms Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Donald Allen Hanson was born July 9,1939 in Waukon, Iowa to Clarice (Teslow) and Carmen Hanson.Donald attended #1 Glenwood Schoolhouse and graduated from Waukon High School, class of 1957. After completing a trade school course from home, he moved to Minneapolis where he worked for Minnesota Concrete Pipe. In Minneapolis he met a Pennsylvania girl, Martha Jean Berry and they married in Washington, PA in 1961.  They resided in Washington, PA for 13 years with their four children.In February 1976, after building pallets, driving Pepsi truck, and becoming manager/owner of Sudzy Sam’s, Donald purchased the Carmen Hanson farm and moved his family to Iowa and created an automated dairy. Donald and Martha Hanson won the Pioneer Dairyman Award in 1996 and the farm is noted as a Century Farm.Upon retiring from milking his own herd after 20 years, Donald promptly began milking at the Bigler farm for another 17 years

Donald loved roaming his farmland to hunt deer, raccoons, and morels, to play softball with Pladsen,  Regancrest and other teams, to watch all sports events on TV especially Iowa college football/basketball games, to eat Martha’s cooking and especially, of course, loved Martha. Donald and Martha were married for 61 years. Their first date was going to church. Donald was an active member of Emmanuel United Presbyterian Church, Eighty-Four, PA and Canoe Ridge Lutheran, Decorah, IA.

He liked music and to sing in church.Grandpa  Donald has seven grandchildren whom he loved to visit, play cards with and lead them on walks in the beautiful wooded farmland.

Donald is survived by his wife Martha Hanson of Decorah, and children Bethany (Shayne) Barr of Lake St. Louis, Mio., Donald Hanson Jr. of Bloomington, Minn., Anita (Al) Weis of Decorah, Dean (Roxanne) Hanson of Prior Lake, Minn.; grandchildren, Ian Barr, Ben Barr, Cullen Barr, Richard (Inga) Weis, Helen Weis, Henry Weis, and Rachel Weis. Donald is survived by siblings, Paul Hanson, Sharon (Butch) Tomczak, Lyle Hanson, and Robert Hanson; predeceased siblings, Carmen Jr. Hanson, and Roger Hanson.