EARL ANDREW HANSON of Ocoee, Florida, passed away on November 4, 2013. He was born in
Fairhaven, Minnesota, on April 20, 1921, to the late Andrew Hanson and Pearl
Dorman Hanson. Earl was preceded in death by sisters Myrtle Oster and Ruby
Midtling.
After graduating from
Litchfield (MN) High School in 1940 he worked in a bank before going to
California to work in the aircraft industry. He entered the Army Air Forces and
attended Navigation School. He did not see combat duty but was assigned to
Navigation Instructor duty. He was honorably discharged from active duty in
November 1945 at Langley Field, Virginia.
Earl graduated from
Pepperdine University and taught one year in the Los Angeles school system. He
then began his career in private industry as an engineer in the aerospace and
medical technology industries until his retirement in 1986 from CD Medical,
Inc, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company.
He is survived by his wife
Dorothea (Dodie), his beloved children (by his first wife Joyce Dollerschell
Hanson) Earl (Nina Todd) Hanson, Susan (Heath) Coleman and Eric Hanson;
grandson Sean Walsh and granddaughter Meredith (Jordan) Smith and step-daughter
Jane (Jeff) Jones and their daughter Ellory Jones. He is also survived by
nieces Roselea (Howard) Nellis and Adele (Ken) Floren.
As an accomplished pilot and
homebuilder, he actively built and repaired airplanes. He and his daughter produced
and supplied many of the ribs, firewalls and other formed parts to Sonex
Aircraft until the parts were taken in-house for production. He also produced
and supplied a different type rib to several other companies.
Earl was a faithful member of
the People of Faith Lutheran Church in Winter Garden, Florida. As an
affirmation of his faith he was building a Zenith aircraft for donation to
Missionary Aviation until his health began to fail. Unfortunately, he was
unable to complete the project, but he was able to donate everything except the
fuselage, propeller and engine.
There will be a memorial
service at People of Faith Lutheran
Church, located at 220 Windermere Road, Winter Garden, Florida on November 29, 2013 at 10:30 am. Earl chose to donate his body for medical education
and research purposes to the Anatomical Board of the State of Florida which takes
up to two years to be completed. At that time his cremains will be spread over
the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
In lieu of flowers donations
may be made to Fisher House, which provides shelter and support to serving
military and veterans’ families during a medical crisis, at www.fisherhouse.org. Arrangements are being handled by Dobbs Funeral Home
(info@dobbsfuneralhome.com).
