Harold R. Hanson

Harold R. Hanson, age 92, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, August 11, 2018. He was born on June 14, 1926 in Hortonville,Wisconsin to the late Wallie and Cecelia Hanson.

Harold married Mary Ann Kaufman on January 11, 1958 and they celebrated 60 years of marriage this past January. He was a loving husband and wonderful father to his three children, and he dearly loved his five grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Harold proudly served his country in the U.S. army during WWII and was on a ship in the south Pacific when the war came to an end in 1945. After returning home from the service, Harold attended Murray State University in Paducah, KY where he obtained a degree in education. He worked in the printed packaging industry at American Can Company in Menasha for 28 years, retiring in 1986. He was a long-time member of St. Mary Parish in Appleton where he sang with the adult choir.

Harold enjoyed his retirement years, deer hunting, golfing and fishing with family and friends, vacationing at the family cottage in Sturgeon Bay, and spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Hanson; children: Paula (Gerald) Sosalla, Michael Hanson, and Katherine (Larry) Brown; grandchildren: Taylor (significant other Reece Harris) Brown, Derek and Greta Brown, and Andrew and Stacey Hanson; and great-grandson Harrison Hanson. Harold is further survived by his brothers, Rev. Wesley Hanson, Wallace Hanson and Norman (Audrey) Hanson; sisters Phyllis Seifert and Audrey Elkins; sister-in-law Dolores Otto, as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by brothers-in-law, William Otto, George Elkins and John Seifert; sisters-in-law, Gloria Hanson, Martha Sue Hanson and Margaret Hanson; nephew, Greg Hanson and niece, Cindy Hanson.

The Funeral Liturgy will be held on Friday, August 17, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at ST. MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, 312 S. State Street in Appleton. Visitation will be held the night before, Thursday, August 16, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Wichmann Funeral Home, 537 N. Superior Street in Appleton. Visitation will resume at church on Friday at 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Funeral Liturgy. Memorial donations to St. Mary Parish and the parish Adult Choir are appreciated.

Harold’s family would like to sincerely thank Dr. Stephen Fuller, as well as Dr. Nathan Munson and his colleagues at ThedaCare Cancer Center and ThedaCare Hospice Nurses for their compassionate care.