Merrill K. Hanson

Merrill Hanson, age 73, of Dows passed away Friday May 10, 2013 at his home near Dows.

Funeral services for Merrill Hanson will be held at 10:30 A.M. Tuesday May 14, 2013 at the First Lutheran Church in Dows. Pastor Ron Nelson will officiate. Burial will take place in the Otis Grove Cemetery near Dows. Military honors for Merrill Hanson will be provided by the Offutt Honor Guard 55th Force Support Squadron, Omaha. NE. Visitation for Merrill Hanson will be held from 5:00 -- 7:00 P.M. Monday May 13, 2013 at the First Lutheran Church in Dows, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday. Dugger Funeral Home, 100 North Lee Street in Dows is in charge of the arrangements.

Merrill Kenneth Hanson was born 10 June 1939 the son of Kenneth and Evelyn (Ingebritson) Hanson who lived and farmed near Dows. He attended country school near the farmstead and went on to attend and graduate from Dows High School. As a child and young man, Merrill was active in all aspects of farming, including milking cows and threshing oats. He enjoyed FFA and 4-H and excelled in livestock judging earning numerous awards. Merrill was a strong athlete at the Dows school and was especially fond of memories of his days on the football team. After high school he attended Iowa State University in Ames and was an active member of the AGR fraternity. In 1960, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was chosen to attend Officer Training School and achieved the rank of Captain. During his military career, Merrill was in Strategic Air Command and served as a navigator on the B 52 bombers. He completed four separate tours in the Vietnam War. On his 25th birthday in Rome, New York he met and fell in love with Geraldine McPeck. Their wedding day was 20 March 1965. They were blessed with a son in 1970 and a daughter in 1976. Shortly before he retired from the Air Force, Merrill purchased farm land in Franklin County near Dows. Upon his retirement in 1980, he fulfilled his dream of returning to Dows with his family to farm. While raising his family, Merrill was active in the 4-H program as a leader of his son's club, the Oakland Junior Stockmen. He was a long time member of the First Lutheran Church. Merrill was committed to improving his farm, conscientious about soil conservation, and loved spending time planting and caring for trees on his land. A recent highlight for Merrill was a train trip with his wife Gerry to visit their children and grandchildren in Washington state. He enjoyed the varied landscapes and scenic views along the way. In addition to farming, Merrill worked for Webster City Products and was honored by his co-workers with a surprise retirement party for his 25 plus years of employment.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 48 years, Geraldine, two children, Douglas and his wife, Audra, their children Brandon, Danielle, and Dylan of Bremerton, WA, Susan and her husband Brian Fulmer, their children Alice and Raymond of Edmonds, WA, two brothers, Norman and his wife, Carol of Dows, Neilan and his wife Trish of Dows, and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his father Kenneth, mother Evelyn, and sister Linda.