Dennis Duane Hanson, 81, died Wednesday, January 2, 2008 as the result of a heart attack and pronounced dead at MeritCare Hospital in Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Monday, January 7, 2008 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls MN with Rev. John Voelker, P.H.D. officiating. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls, MN. Military honors will be provided by the American Legion Ecklund-Holmstrom Post #117 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2793.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a 7:00 PM prayer service on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, MN. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to the funeral at church on Monday.

Dennis Duane Hanson was born March 21, 1926 at Mercy Hospital in Thief River Falls, MN the son of Edwin and Valborg (Engelstad) Hanson.

He was baptized at Grandpa and Grandma Engelstads home by Rev. Jacobson and confirmed into the Lutheran faith. Dennis attended the Roseville District 165 School in Rocksbury Township, Pennington County, and graduated from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls in 1943.

Dennis entered into service with the United States Army Air Corps. Following his Honorable Discharge, he was employed by the Soo Line Railroad in Thief River Falls, MN as a brakeman.

On December 9, 1950 Dennis was united in marriage to Barbara May Brenhaug at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN. To this union there were two children born David Duane and Kathryn Denise.

In 1954, the family moved to Silver Bay, MN where Dennis worked as a crane operator for Reserve Mining Company, a taconite company. The family returned to Thief River Falls, MN in 1957 and Dennis went to work on the family farm with his dad. In 1960 Dennis started Hansons Antennae Service. He installed many television antennaes in the Thief River Falls area. This lasted until the cable technology entered the marketplace.

For many years following the antennae business, Dennis was self employed doing carpentry type work ranging from home remodeling to lumber demolition and salvage, which included tearing down the Fordville, ND Round House, Glenwood, MN Ice House, and Alvarado, MN and Oslo, MN Railroad Depots. Dennis also plotted and developed land for housing in Rocksbury Township where he resided on his farm until 2006, at which time he moved into Riverside Terrace in Thief River Falls.

He enjoyed a good deal at auction sale and had an appreciation for antique farm equipment. Dennis was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and enjoyed attending services and always held a deep faith.

Survivors include son, David Hanson of Rock Springs, WY and daughter, Kathryn (Scott) Rustad of Rochester, MN; the mother of his children, Barbara Thompson of Thief River Falls, MN; grandchildren, Aaron and Andy Lundbohm, Stf. Sgt. Christopher Bacon, and Samantha Rustad; sisters, Ann (William) Huber of Murfreesboro, TN and Fern Williams of Thief River Falls, MN; and is also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Pearl Hanson and Florence Hanson; brother-in-law, Russell Williams.

Organist: Ida Nordvall
Soloist: LeRoy Aasland
Selections: Amazing Grace & What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Congregational Hymns: How Great Thou Art LBW #532 & Precious Lord Take My Hand WOV #731
Casketbearers: