Earl H. Hanson

Earl “Sonny” Harold Hanson was born on December 2^nd, 1937 in St. Paul, MN to Harold and Mildred “Millie” (Turek) Hanson and died peacefully in his home in Devils Lake on Thursday, January 4, 2018.

He attended Washington Grade School in Devils Lake and graduated from Devils Lake Central in 1955 where he played hockey, football and American Legion baseball. He enlisted in the United States Navy and served four years as a Corpsman.  After leaving the Navy he attended the University of North Dakota and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. 

In 1966, he moved to Winona, MN where he met and married his wife Trish Spillane. Emily and Sarah were born in Winona.  In 1977, the family moved to Devils Lake.  Earl and Trish owned and operated the Hanson House 313, a staple for good food, good service, and good customers, until they sold it in 2007.   Earl always said, “We have the best crew in town” and considered the “crew” his family.  Earl went on to work as the Ramsey County Veterans’ Service Officer for 11 years.  In retirement he drove cars for Bergstrom Motors. 

He was a member of the Devils Lake Elks, Lions Club and Masonic Temple. He proudly wore his Shriner’s Fez in many parades.  He also served on the Devils Lake Historical Society Board as well as the Library Board.  Earl was very proud of Devils Lake as his hometown.  Earl’s favorite pastimes, aside from watching any and every UND game on TV and the Vikings, were golfing, feeding his backyard birds, and have a beer with his alley friends. 

Earl oftentimes wondered aloud why he got such a wonderful family and knew they were his greatest blessing. Trish, Emily and Shaun, Sarah and Nick, and his grandchildren Emma, William and Audrey were his center.  Earl loved his family, his home, his town, his neighbors and friends and the love they have shown him has never been taken for granted.  His sisters and their children, his wife’s sisters, their husbands and children and grandchildren have been so important for Earl.  He was a good brother and uncle to them all. 

Earl is preceded in death by his parents and Trish’s parents John and Vernette Spillane. He is survived by his wife of 47 years Trish; his daughter Emily Westphal and her husband Shaun, his daughter Sarah Reinbold and her husband Nick; his grandchildren Audrey Westphal, Emma and William Reinbold; his sisters Darlene (Hanson) Wilhelm of Paducah, KY and Sandy (Hanson) Fisher of Henderson, KY as well as many nieces, nephews and their families.

Mass of Christian Burial for Earl will be held on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake with the Very Reverend C.F. Wilhelm celebrating the Mass.  Military Honors will be accorded by the Neathery-Simensen Post #756, Devils Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars and the North Dakota Military Funeral Honors Team-Navy. 

A time of fellowship and remembrance will be held at the Elk’s Lodge, Highway 2, Devils Lake immediately following the funeral service. Interment will be in the Church of the Assumption Cemetery in the spring in Richfield, MN.