Dale Hansen

Korean War Army veteran Dale Hansen, 74, a Great Falls native who also had a residence in Surprise, Ariz., died of natural causes Aug. 8 in Salt Lake City.
His funeral is 3:30 p.m. today at Croxford Funeral Home and Crematory, with visitation an hour prior to the service. Burial will take place in Highland Cemetery.
He is survived by his wife, Vicki, of Surprise, Ariz.; three daughters, Pam (Bob) Hansen Alfred, Stacey (Aaron) Hamilton and Kristi (Kevin) Mueller, all of Great Falls; four sisters, Betty (Jerry) Meyers, Connie (Mel) Teal, Monna (Neal) Stasney and Myrna (Bert) Thurber; a brother, Max (Doris) Hansen; and four grandchildren.
Dale was born July 27, 1933, in Great Falls, the son of Logan Dean Hansen and Mary Louisa (Wray) Hansen. He was raised on a farm near Vaughn, Mont., and began working at Hansen's Dairy as a young man. He attended Great Falls High School and served in the U.S. Army, where he was a cook during the Korean War. He spent 12 years working for the Great Northern Railroad as a truck driver and then started his own woodstove business, Hansen's Woodburning Village. In 1984, he sold his business and moved to Lincoln, Mont., to live.
His hobby was RVing, and he especially loved traveling to Branson, Mo., and taking in the shows there. He enjoyed meeting people everywhere and having long conversations with everyone.
He married Carol Turner on Nov. 4, 1953, in Fort Ord, Calif.; they later divorced. He met his soul mate in 2003, when he met his current wife, Vicki Towstego. They were married in 2006. He said the last two years of his life had been the best, and it was because Vicki was so good for him, and to him. She gave him a positive outlook on life and kept him busy with activities and friends. He was never happier than when she was in his presence. She completed his life.
Dad never had a son born to him, but he had a very special place in his heart for Kevin, Kristi's husband. If he could have chosen the perfect son, he would have chosen Kevin. Dad was very fond of Kevin, and spent countless hours discussing different parts of the motor home with Kevin and how to repair this or that. Kevin very much obliged Dad and was always there at his beck and call, whether it was for advice or moving belongings here or there, or running for parts, and then placing those parts or whatever Dad needed.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Bob Hansen.
Condolences may be posted online at croxfords@qwest.net and/or www.gftribune.com/obituaries.
- Reprinted at request of the family.