Gerald Elsmore Hanson

Gerald Elsmore Hanson, age 93, a resident of Minong, Wisconsin, passed away at his home on June 2, 2024, after a brief bout with cancer. His final days found him surrounded by loved ones, his family and the birds and wildlife he so enjoyed throughout his life.

Gerald was born on October 5, 1930, in Unity, Wisconsin, to parents, Manford and Gertie (Severson) Hanson. He grew up in Strum, Wisconsin, where he worked on his uncle's farm before the family moved to their home in the Town of Frog Creek, where he attended Chittamo School. After school, he worked in the Wascott/Gordon area before being drafted into the US Army in May of 1954 during the Korean War, serving 2 years overseas. After his discharge in April of 1956, he returned to Wascott. He hadn't been home long when his brother Donald recruited Gerald and his other brother Willard to go down to Milwaukee and work for American Motors Company. While working in Milwaukee, he met the love of his life, Janet, and they were later married on August 13, 1960. Janet stayed with family in the Minong area while Gerald went back to Milwaukee to look for a home for the family. During this time, their daughter Susan was born in Spooner and shortly thereafter, Gerald moved the family to Milwaukee, where they received another daughter Karen and son, Jeff. As the children got older, he would take them out to the cornfields on the outskirts of Milwaukee and have them do Pheasant drives so Gerald could hunt Pheasants. The family would purchase a home in Minong in 1972, and in 1973, after working at AMC for 16 years, they moved back to Minong, where he has resided since. Once back in Minong, he found work with Lucas Brothers Logging and did mechanic work from his home. Gerald would help set up tents for the American Legion in Minong and Chicog, garden with his wife, go to River Street in Spooner for Friday Fish Fry, grill out and ride his lawnmower mowing the lawn. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, tinkering around and rigging things to work, but most of all just helping people in need.

Gerald is survived by his three children, Susan Bednar, Karen (James) Waggoner, Jeff Hanson (Sharon Hughes), grandchildren, Christopher Marholz, Kenneth (Imi Schultz) Marholz and Jeremy Waggoner, and great-granddaughter, Nirbella Marholz. He is also survived by a brother Donald (Debra) Hanson, sisters Eileen Paske and Linda (Peter) Stopinski and many nieces and nephews.

Gerald was preceded in death by his wife, Janet Retzlaff Hanson, father, Manford Saul Hanson, mother, Gertrude Pauline (Jack) Durst, and siblings Oren and Willard Hanson, Marcella Blaylock, Margaret Blaylock, Shirley Clemmer and Donna Becker.

A graveside service with Military Honors will be held on Friday, June 14, 2024, at 10am at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at the Wascott Town Hall, Wasott, WI, on Saturday, June 15, 2024 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Honorary casket bearers will be Jeff Hanson, Jeremy Waggoner, Kenneth Marholz and Christopher Marholz.