Carl Robert Hanson

Carl Robert Hanson, 87, of Sturgeon Lake, died after a battle with pancreatic cancer--in his home, surrounded by family--on Saturday, December 19, 2009. He was born in Moose Lake October 24, 1922 to Ethel M. Hanson (Paulson) and Lovie Hanson. After graduating from Moose Lake High School, he worked on the railroad, in lumber camps, at the Duluth grain mills, and as fireman on the Great Lakes steam boats. In 1950 he returned to Moose Lake where took a position as an operating engineer at the Moose Lake State Hospital power plant. He remained there until he retired. His own business, "Hanson's Gun and Sign Shop," kept him extremely busy building and fixing pistols and rifles, as well as lettering semi-trailer cabs and trucks. In his day, he also painted and erected billboards that advertised local businesses along highway 61 and I-35. One of his interests, along with hunting, fishing and 4-wheeling with his friends, was oil painting. Among the many drawings and paintings he left us, are murals in area businesses and works for friends. Carl was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, on March 18, 1993 and his youngest son, Skip on January 5, 2002. He is survived by his sister, Doris Cook, his children, Knowle (Teresa) of Emeryville, CA, Kathryn (Richard) Hill of Tower, MN, Richard (Caroline) of Maple Grove, MN, Kermit (Jean) Matyas of The Villages, FL; his grandchildren, Peter (Stephanie) Hanson, Jonathan (Kristen) Baldridge, Constance (Roger) Sutherland, Susie (Kevin) Masurka and Lisa (Kevin) Figgins; and 14 great-grandchildren and 2 nieces. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. in Hamlin-Hansen-Kosloski Funeral Home, Moose Lake. (Lack of space at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, where Carl was a devoted member, requires this change for the service.) Arrangements are with Hamlin-Hansen-Kosloski Funeral Home, Moose Lake. The family expresses its gratitude to the St. Mary's Hospice and Palliative Care of Duluth.