RODNEY HANSON obituary

CHESTER - Rodney Lee Hanson, 49, died Sunday, April 30, 2006. His mother found him unresponsive in his apartment after he hadn't answered her phone calls. He was transported by ambulance to Liberty County Hospital, where resuscitative efforts failed.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. Burial will follow at the Chester Cemetery.

Rod was born May 20, 1956, at Havre to Alfred and Ione (Anderson) Hanson. Rod grew up in the Chester community and received his formal education there. During his school years, he was active in Boy Scouts, football, basketball and wrestling.

Following high school, Rod moved to Gillette, Wyo., to work in the oilfields. After two years, he came back to Montana and continued working in the oil drilling business for General Wells near Shelby. In 1980, he suffered life-threatening injuries due to an accidental fall of 55 feet from an oil derrick. Rod experienced numerous hospitalizations with surgeries and physical therapies in the months that followed. During this long recuperation period, Rod began building his “dream cabin,” a small A-frame structure located near the Snow-Slip in Glacier National Park.

Since his accident, Rod had worked mainly as a farmhand. For a couple of years, he farmed for Jack Wells south of Shelby. In more recent years, he helped with the seeding and harvesting tasks at the Dallas Romain farm south of Chester.

Rod enjoyed being back in the Chester community near family and friends these past 15 years.

Rod's hobbies were many. He loved fishing, hunting, swimming, riding horses and spending time in the mountains. In his youth, he enjoyed playing Monopoly. As an adult, he loved to play cards, especially poker, hand-and-foot, and kings-in-the-corners. But most of the fun was the simple opportunity to bond with friends. Rod also liked to play horseshoes.

Rod was preceded in death by his father in 1991.

Survivors include his mother, Ione (Tony) Huston of Chester; brothers, Larry (Juliann) Hanson and Calvin (Linda) Hanson, all of Helena; sister Darlene (Mike) Abeln of Douglasville, Ga.; uncles, Albert Hanson of Chester and Bazil Anderson of Westby; aunts, Beth Jensen of Kalispell, Beverly Bergh of Longview, Wash., and Rose Ann Brough of Havre; and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Memorials can be given to Our Savior's Lutheran Church or donor's choice.

Arrangements are by Rockman Funeral Chapel of Chester.