Paul Hanson

Paul Frederick Hanson, 85, of Union Grove (Gilmer), Texas left this earth for his eternal home, December 14, 2023. A celebration of his life is planned for 11 am on January 3rd, 2024 at East Mountain Baptist Church in Gilmer, TX under the direction of Horn-Nail-Haggard Funeral Home. Visitation will be at 10am prior to the service. A lunch reception and burial to follow. Paul was born January 28, 1938, on the family farm in Dalton, Minnesota as the second child to parents Arthur and Thea Hanson, joining 6 year old brother Art Jr. When Paul was 7 the family farming operation was moved to Braham, Minnesota. Shortly thereafter the family grew to 5 with the addition of Paul’s younger sister, Maryann. Besides raising dairy cattle, the family was best known in the area for their impressive turkey producing operation, which fed the surrounding community at Thanksgiving and Christmas. (It also earned each of the family members the nickname, Turkey Hanson.) Following graduation from Braham High School in 1956, and a stint working at the local lumber yard, Paul joined the United States Army honorably serving his country from 1958-1960, as a field medic. After discharging from the army, Paul began working for an insurance company in Minneapolis. It was there that Paul met a co-worker, Elaine Dahl, who just so happened to have an attractive younger sister – a nurse named Evelyn. Paul and Evelyn were married July 3, 1964, and moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota, where Paul attended St. Cloud State University. While in St. Cloud the couple’s first son, Greg, was born. Following graduation, the family moved to Owatonna MN where Paul took a job with Federated Insurance where he would remain for 28 years until his first retirement. Shortly after moving to Owatonna, Paul, and Evelyn’s second son Gary was born. The Hanson’s raised their family on a small Five Acre hobby farm in nearby Ellendale MN. Besides working at Federated, Paul enjoyed helping Evelyn with her huge gardens, as well as roto-tilling gardens for many friends and coworkers. The Hansons were active regular attenders at the Bethel Baptist Church in Owatonna and Paul could often be seen in his suit volunteering as an usher and greeting worshipers at the door. In 1986, he and his son Gary became certified Emergency Medical Technicians. Paul Served for many years on the Ellendale Volunteer Ambulance Service. In 1996, Paul took an early retirement at age 58 from Federated to move he and Evelyn to Texas, escaping the winters in Minnesota and to be closer to his sons who both graduated from college and had made residences in Longview, TX. Shortly after retiring in Longview, Paul found what was perhaps his true calling – working at Longview ISD as a substitute teacher, where he taught nearly every day for 28 years. Surprisingly, Paul worked as many years in his retirement job as he had during his Career at Federated. Paul had a natural connection with the students, and they loved him as he loved them. He touched many lives through teaching and truly found joy in it. A man of few words, Paul’s life “sermon” on the love of Jesus was quietly, yet powerfully delivered in the way he lived and in the things he did for others. Paul never got worked up over much and had the best handle on what really matters. He lived his life as a great example, fought a good fight and finished the course. Paul was preceded in heaven by his wife, Evelyn; parents, Art and Thea; and brother, Art. He is survived by sons, Greg (Cheryl) and Gary (Anna); grandchildren, Camille, Adam, Emma and Avery; sister, Mary Ann; nieces, friends and hundreds of former students.