Morgan P. Hanson

Dear Dave, Paul, Tim and family,

My heart was heavy to hear of your father's passing. He will be missed. My mother talked to your dad about every three weeks. When he was still driving he would come to dinner at my parents home and I was always included. When that wasn't possible they talked and occassionally visited in person. He always ended the conversation by telling my mother to say hello to Mary Jo. I will always treasure the many

Dear Dave, Paul, Tim and family,

My heart was heavy to hear of your father's passing. He will be missed. My mother talked to your dad about every three weeks. When he was still driving he would come to dinner at my parents home and I was always included. When that wasn't possible they talked and occassionally visited in person. He always ended the conversation by telling my mother to say hello to Mary Jo. I will always treasure the many memories of your parents and the fun we had growing up and playing in the backyard. My mother also sends her sympathy. We did not find out about your dad until after the Mass, but know that if we had known we all would have attended.

Mary Jo Lapp

As I, Dave Hanson, was with Dad during his final days and then preparing for his funeral, so many friends and family shared their loving thoughts about my Dad to me.

When Dad’s hospice nurse, Terre called about two weeks ago to let me know that Dad wasn’t doing too well, I sensed that she was upset. I said I was surprised that in her job, one of her patients decline would affect her so. She said, “but they’re not

As I, Dave Hanson, was with Dad during his final days and then preparing for his funeral, so many friends and family shared their loving thoughts about my Dad to me.

When Dad’s hospice nurse, Terre called about two weeks ago to let me know that Dad wasn’t doing too well, I sensed that she was upset. I said I was surprised that in her job, one of her patients decline would affect her so. She said, “but they’re not Morgan.”

I also got to know Dad’s social worker Dipika who was also very upset.

Maureen Pavella, a regular visitor and friend from St Angela’s said what a great guy Dad was. She was so sad at Dad’s passing.

Eileen Peterson, head of Assisted Living for Westlake Village has known Dad for 10 years. She said how much he’ll be missed, a sentiment many of the staff shared.

I also got to talk to some of the residents there who were very sad that Dad will no longer be with them.

Dad was affectionately known by many at Westlake Village as “Morgy”.

My cousins Paul and Vicki shared on the Busch funeral site “WE WILL MISS HIM. HE WAS ONE OF THE NICEST MEN I HAVE EVER KNOWN”. I also spoke to my cousin Jeanie a couple of days ago who said that my Dad was so good to her family.

Father Joe called a couple of days ago to go over funeral arrangements. He said he was able to visit and get to know Dad over the 2 years since he’s been assigned at St. Angela. Father Joe said that typically he only spends about a half hour with any of the residents at Westlake Village because they tire quickly. Not the case with Dad. They would talk well over an hour each visit, with my Dad reminiscing about his days at NASA and his family.

I wanted to make sure that Dad’s NASA boss of several years, Tito Serafini, knew of my Dad’s passing. When I spoke to Tito, he said that Dad was very consciencious and reliable; that he considered Dad to be a friend, colleague and mentor. (And this from a supervisor!)

And it was a good thing that another NASA employee, Bob Ensign, knew my Dad. If not, I would have never been able to date my future wife Carolyn. After all, if I was Morgan Hanson’s son, I couldn’t be that bad. Bob mentioned yesterday that Dad at NASA was considered to be “one of the good guys”.

Dad was devoted to my Mom and her happiness was his top priority. The only times I recall Dad getting mad at me are when I’d upset her. Dad was sure devastated by Mom’s passing. I can still remember Dad’s call to me at work that Mom didn’t wake up that tragic morning in 2001. I didn’t even recognize his voice.

But Dad was also resilient, adjusting well to life without Mom. He found an entirely new community at Westlake Village to share his life with, even at the age of 80.

In the last couple of days I googled Dad’s name with NACA or NASA and found many declassified technical papers he had written or co-written when he worked there. I also saw a patent he received. He certainly was a very good researcher and technical writer.

After retirement in 1980, Dad consulted for Tribon Bearing Co. And, in 1986, Dad received the president’s award from Stackpole Corporation, the parent of Tribon. The president said at the time, “you may not know Morgan by name, but he has helped create many jobs for our company and for Cleveland with machining processes we are now using in our products.”

Dad was one tough Norwegian. In 1990, over 20 years ago, he had congestive heart failure and a stroke. And, in 1998, he had a triple bypass and heart valve replacement. With all of that, he was still able to have good quality of life before and after my Mom’s passing until close to the end.

That strength no doubt came from his upbringing in North Dakota. Dad’s roots and history were very important to him. His parents were from Norway, with his Dad, Paul Hanson, coming to America in 1900 at the age of 21.

Paul Hanson met and married Nella Eggen around 1910 in North Dakota. They had five children, with Dad being the youngest.

Dad and his brothers and sisters were born in Eastedge, where my grandfather managed a general store and lumber yard. Eastedge is now a ghost town.

In 1927, Dad’s family moved to Kintyre, ND when his Dad got a job as manager of the lumberyard. Later, as a result of the Great Depression the lumberyard closed and my grandfather, 50 years old at the time, was out of work.

It was because my grandfather was able to purchase of a lumberyard in Sanborn, ND that his family avoided devastation.
During World War II both of Dad’s brothers, Uncle Bert and Uncle Cliff were inducted into the Army.
For Dad, after graduating high school in 1939, he attended North Dakota State, pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. And, when he graduated in March of 1943, he got a job supporting the war effort, with the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Cleveland facility which had just started a few years before.

The site was renamed the Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory in 1947, the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in 1948 and the NASA Lewis Research Center in 1958. Which of course we always knew as “the lab”.

When Dad began work at NACA in 1943 he did research on engine propulsion.

Later, at the lab, Dad worked on reinforced plastics where he was one of the pioneers in the field. At first, he studied high strength glass fibers for polymer reinforcement. Later, when they became available, he worked with high strength carbon fibers. As a result of this effort, reinforced plastics are used in jet engines of today.

When Dad first arrived in Cleveland from North Dakota, he roomed with a fellow North Dakota State grad, Ralph Schurek (sp?) who also went to work at NACA. And from a blind double date arranged by Ralph, Dad met Mom. They married in 1949, and for the next 51 years, “Helen and Morgan” were inseperable.

They lived in Fairview Park on West 210 Street which at the time seemed like out in the country to Mom’s family.

Dad made many improvements to the house and property over the years. Dad finished the second floor as well as the basement. He also added a porch. Dad also cleared the back yard of the double lot which we boys enjoyed so much, digging holes and building forts from discarded material Dad brought home from the lab.

Although Dad was far away from his parents and siblings, it was very important for him to stay in touch with them. We made the trip to Minnesota many times when we were growing up.

Dad also cared very much for Mom’s side of the family, especially for those who stayed in the Cleveland area, including Mom’s sisters, Aunt Margaret and Aunt Virginia. In later years, Dad was their personal chauffeur to countless lunches and craft shows.

Dad loved to grill and garden, and was known for great tomatoes, lettuce and rhubarb. He was also known to pull out his harmonica and play “Oh Susanna” with gusto at family gatherings.

Dad was both a gentleman and a gentle man. He was a hard worker, loved his family and countless friends for all of his 91 years. And we will miss him.

We'll miss you Uncle Morgan. You were always a great uncle and a real gentleman.

Sympathies to Morgans loved ones. He was well liked by many. I wonder if GOD will have a shooting range in Heaven for him. It could be booring as every shot will hit the bulls eye.
No more pain or sorrow
Elmer

WE WILL MISS HIM. HE WAS ONE OF THE NICEST MEN I HAVE EVER KNOWN.