Danny Joe Hanson

1955 - 2024

Danny Joe Hanson, 69, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on December 19, 2024 at the Long Prairie CentraCare Hospital after a long and courageous battle.

A celebration of life will be held at Shady's Midway in Long Prairie on Saturday, January 11, 2025 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm.

Danny was born to Billy and Delores Hanson in St. Paul, MN where he spent much of his childhood. Danny met and married his 'Angel' Alice Theiler in February, 1976 and eventually put down roots in Long Prairie, MN where they raised their three children. Danny's entire life was all about anything that was loud, fast, and inappropriate.

Danny spent his working career in the transportation industry driving over-the-road for various companies before finally finishing his career at American Foods Group where he was the trailer jockey. Danny was known for being able to move any sized trailer into the tightest of locations and could be found telling other drivers to 'get out' of their own trucks when they didn't get it right the first time so he could do it himself.

As hard as Danny worked you could certainly argue that he played even harder. Since he was young Danny loved anything with a motor and the bigger that motor, the more love he had. In his younger years if you wanted to find Danny on a weekend you only needed to check the closest racetracks, whether it was dirt or ice, odds are, you would find him. Whether he was in the drivers seat of his beloved number 7, in the pits turning a wrench, or cursing at the TV during the NASCAR season, his passion and intensity had no confines when it came to racing.

Danny also had a huge heart for his friends and family and it was rare for a day to pass that someone wasn't sitting at his bar with him in his 'back room' having an adult beverage and telling some tall tales. Danny loved social interactions and always had an inappropriate joke to tell anyone who was willing to listen. The person who had to listen to all his inappropriateness was the love of his life, Alice. Alice and Danny spent 50 years together and during the later years of their lives together you could find them cruising in MISSALICE with any number of their friends or pulling up to one of their kid's homes to spend an afternoon shooting the breeze.

Danny is survived by the love of his life Alice Hanson; his three children: Carrie (Aaron) Pyle in Rice, Jeremy Hanson in Minneapolis, Cory (Lori) Hanson in Avon; three granddaughters: Nicci (Jake) Steinhofer, Taylor (Max) Bilz, and Avery (XX) Hanson; four grandsons: Jacob Biskey, Carter (Bri) Hanson, Jordan (Jasmine) Hanson, and Logan Hanson; three great-grandchildren; mother Delores; sisters: Gloria (Terry) Kuperus, Barb Herding, and Nancy Olmschenk; numerous brother and sister in-laws, nephews, nieces, cousins, aunts, and uncles across the country.

Danny is joining his father Billy; father and mother in-law Clarence and Bernice; brother Ronnie; in-laws Gene, Jim, and Audrey; grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles and many close friends in heaven for his eternal feature race.

The family would like to send our heartfelt gratitude to the exceptional care team at the CentraCare Long Prairie campus. It is impossible for us to put into words the grace that was extended to Danny and our entire family during the last few years and the affinity that was extended to us in the last week of his life, you are all beyond remarkable.