ALBERT HANSEN obituary

RUDYARD - Albert Fredrick Hansen, 89, died on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2004, at a Chester rest home.

A funeral service will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rudyard, followed by burial in the Rudyard Cemetery.

Albert was born on April 6, 1914, on the family farm at Brinkman. He was the only child of Fred and Lena (McDonald) Hansen, who homesteaded 20 miles south of Rudyard. Albert attended the Black Coulee country school. After finishing his formal education in Big Sandy, he began working on the farm.

Albert married Lydia Brandt on Feb. 12, 1944, in Shelby. They lived and worked on the Hansen farm and raised their family of three. In 1958 they built a home in Rudyard, where they wintered during their children's school years. After Albert retired from farming in 1974, they moved permanently to their home in town. When Albert's health began to fail in 1998, he transferred to the Liberty County Nursing Home in Chester.

Albert enjoyed his life as a farmer and rancher. He was a good farmer who always stayed informed about new ideas and techniques, and was always progressive and innovative in his farming operations. In addition to farming, Albert stayed busy with other enterprises. He sold Miller Rodweeder attachments and parts for more than 20 years. He also sold hail insurance, tires and batteries for the Farm Bureau for many years. For a short while in the early 1960s, Albert and his friend Bud Een operated A&C Motors, a Renault and Citreon auto dealership in Rudyard.

Albert served on the Prairie City Country school board. He was happy to receive his Lutheran baptism as an adult.

The Hansens owned one of the first televisions in the south Rudyard community, so a lot of friends and neighbors came over in the evenings to watch a show or two. Albert enjoyed all this company.

In his younger years, Albert liked to hunt. In later years he enjoyed fishing. He always looked forward to a good game of cribbage with old friends or his grandchildren. After his retirement, he spent countless hours just tinkering in his shop.

After the Hansens retired, they became active in the Good Sam RV Club and enjoyed numerous camping trips to the south.

Albert was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife of almost 60 years, Lydia Hansen of Rudyard; daughters, Sandra (Joe) Lincoln of Rudyard and Linda (Jack) Plovanich of Anchorage, Alaska; son, Donald (Leota) Hansen of Rudyard; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Arrangements are by Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester.